Palestinian Inspired Crab Cakes
Last Updated on January 1, 2023 by Jacqueline Rafidi
These are some of the best crab cakes I’ve had. They’re crispy, filled with luscious, savory and fresh flavors and when formed into an egg’s benedict, they’re unbeatable! I truly hope you give these a try because they are out of this world amazing. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @thebitewithjackie when you make this or any of my recipes!
Directions:
For the crab cakes
1 lb lump crab meat
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup parsley, chopped very fine
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ red bell pepper, diced fine
¼ small onion, diced very fine (about a scant ¼ cup)
½ small tomato, seeds removed, diced fine
1 egg
3 tablespoons mayo
1 small garlic clove, chopped fine
½ chili, seeds and veins removed, chopped very fine (optional)
¼ teaspoon corrainder
½ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon sumac
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper) (Optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons of vegetable oil for frying
For the hollandaise sauce
2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
Small pot for simmering water and a heat proof bowl that fits perfectly on top
For the poached eggs and assembly
2 – 4 eggs
1 teaspoon white vinegar (or a lightly colored vinegar. Any color will dye your eggs)
2 English muffins, split
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper or paprika
Sprinkle of parsley
Instructions:
Prepare the crab cakes by mixing all crab cake ingredients together in a medium bowl – excluding the crab. Mix well to combine, then add in your crab meat and gently fold in the wet mixture into the crab being careful not break apart the clumps of crab meat. This will give your final crab cakes a juicier texture. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the fridge and use an ice cream scoop to scoop out mounds of the crab cake mixture on to a plate. Press down gently on the top of the mounds to form the crab cakes. Preheat a medium non-stick skillet with the vegetable oil on medium heat. Carefully place each crab cake on the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they turn brown. Place on a paper towel lined plate and set aside. If you’d like, you can stick them in a 250F oven to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
For the hollandaise, fill a small pot with just about an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. In a heat proof bowl that fits on the pot, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice until pale and frothy. At this point, place the glass bowl directly on top of the small pot and whisk in the melted butter in a steady stream about a tablespoon at a time until the sauce begins to thicken and form ribbons when you lift your whisk – not any longer or the sauce can clump and overcook/break. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour into a small bowl. Add in salt and set aside. If the sauce breaks or thickens too much, add 1 teaspoon of the simmering water and whisk immediately until it loosens until desired consistency is achieved. Set aside. At this point, toast your English muffins.
For the poached eggs, break each egg into individual ramekins or small bowls. Bring a medium pot filled less than halfway with water to a light boil with the teaspoon of vinegar. Once the water is lightly boiling – not too strong of a boil, or the eggs could break – carefully pour each egg into the water and cook for 3 minutes. If you like them very soft poached, 2 minutes will be good or 4 minutes for a more firm poached egg. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to remove any excess water. Set aside.
Assemble the benedict by layering the English muffin, then the crab cake, the poached egg and a drizzle of the hollandaise sauce. If you’d like, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper or paprika on top of the hollandaise sauce and sprinkle with some chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Palestinian Inspired Crab Cakes
Ingredients
For the crab cakes
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup parsley chopped very fine
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ red bell pepper diced fine
- ¼ small onion diced very fine (about a scant ¼ cup)
- ½ small tomato seeds removed, diced fine
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 1 small garlic clove chopped fine
- ½ chili seeds and veins removed, chopped very fine (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon corrainder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (Optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil for frying
For the hollandaise sauce
- 2 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Small pot for simmering water and a heat proof bowl that fits perfectly on top
For the poached eggs and assembly
- 2 – 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or a lightly colored vinegar. Any color will dye your eggs
- 2 English muffins split
- Sprinkle of cayenne pepper or paprika
- Sprinkle of parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the crab cakes by mixing all crab cake ingredients together in a medium bowl – excluding the crab. Mix well to combine, then add in your crab meat and gently fold in the wet mixture into the crab being careful not break apart the clumps of crab meat. This will give your final crab cakes a juicier texture. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and use an ice cream scoop to scoop out mounds of the crab cake mixture on to a plate. Press down gently on the top of the mounds to form the crab cakes. Preheat a medium non-stick skillet with the vegetable oil on medium heat. Carefully place each crab cake on the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they turn brown. Place on a paper towel lined plate and set aside. If you’d like, you can stick them in a 250F oven to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
- For the hollandaise, fill a small pot with just about an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. In a heat proof bowl that fits on the pot, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice until pale and frothy. At this point, place the glass bowl directly on top of the small pot and whisk in the melted butter in a steady stream about a tablespoon at a time until the sauce begins to thicken and form ribbons when you lift your whisk – not any longer or the sauce can clump and overcook/break. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour into a small bowl. Add in salt and set aside. If the sauce breaks or thickens too much, add 1 teaspoon of the simmering water and whisk immediately until it loosens until desired consistency is achieved. Set aside. At this point, toast your English muffins.
- For the poached eggs, break each egg into individual ramekins or small bowls. Bring a medium pot filled less than halfway with water to a light boil with the teaspoon of vinegar. Once the water is lightly boiling – not too strong of a boil, or the eggs could break – carefully pour each egg into the water and cook for 3 minutes. If you like them very soft poached, 2 minutes will be good or 4 minutes for a more firm poached egg. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to remove any excess water. Set aside.
- Assemble the benedict by layering the English muffin, then the crab cake, the poached egg and a drizzle of the hollandaise sauce. If you’d like, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper or paprika on top of the hollandaise sauce and sprinkle with some chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
