Crab and leek cakes

  • Portion size: Serves 4
  • Takes 15 minutes to make, 35-40 minutes to cook, plus cooling and chilling
  • Difficulty: easy

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

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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.
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  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

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

Quick wins & tips

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.

Make Ahead

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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