Crab and leek cakes

Crab and leek cakes

This crab and leek cake recipe is delightfully flavoursome; the citrus mayonnaise gives the dish extra tang.

Crab and leek cakes

  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Takes 15 minutes to make, 35-40 minutes to cook, plus cooling and chilling

This crab and leek cake recipe is delightfully flavoursome; the citrus mayonnaise gives the dish extra tang.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
715kcals
Fat
58.7g (10.2g saturated)
Protein
18.6g
Carbohydrates
29.1g (2g sugars)
Salt
0.7g

Ingredients

  • 500g potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
  • 2 small leeks, finely sliced
  • 170-200g white crabmeat (see our how-to video below)
  • Good pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Handful of fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp fine polenta
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus extra lemon wedges to squeeze over

For the mayonnaise

  • 2 large free-range egg yolks
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Pinch of English mustard powder
  • 130ml mild oil, such as groundnut
  • 70ml olive oil
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Method

  1. Cook the potatoes for 25 minutes in a steamer until very soft. Pat dry, then leave to cool completely. (Or boil for 20 minutes, drain well, then return to the pan over a very low heat for a couple of minutes to dry thoroughly.) Leave to cool.
  2. Make the mayonnaise by whisking the egg yolks with a small squeeze of lemon juice, mustard powder and seasoning in a bowl. Whisking continuously, gradually add the mild oil in a slow but steady stream.
  3. As you whisk, the mayonnaise will begin to thicken. At this stage, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Stop adding oil once the mayonnaise has a thick, glossy consistency. Taste, adjust the seasoning and add more lemon juice if needed. Chill until needed.
  4. To make the crab cakes, heat the oil in a small frying pan, then fry the leeks over a low-medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened. Tip into a bowl and allow to cool.
  5. Mash the potatoes with a fork, then add to the cooled leeks with the crabmeat, cayenne and parsley. Season well and shape the mixture into 8 patties. Dip each one in the polenta to coat. Put on a plate and chill for at least 10 minutes.
  6. Heat a shallow layer of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the cakes for 2-3 minutes on both sides until golden brown and hot all the way through. Serve with the mayonnaise, lemon wedges and seasonal veg or, if you prefer, a fresh green salad.

Nutrition

Calories
715kcals
Fat
58.7g (10.2g saturated)
Protein
18.6g
Carbohydrates
29.1g (2g sugars)
Salt
0.7g

delicious. tips

  1. As you’re cooking the crabmeat rather than eating it fresh, you can use tinned instead of ‘hand-picked’.

    PLEASE NOTE: the mayonnaise contains raw egg.

  2. The mayonnaise will keep in the fridge, covered with cling film, for up to a week. Freeze the shaped, polenta-dusted crab cakes on a tray until solid, then place between sheets of baking paper, transfer to a well-sealed plastic container and put back in the freezer. Defrost completely before cooking.

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