Gluten Free Baked “Made in Maryland” Crab Cakes with Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad

Recipe by Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC

MAKES: 4 portions of 5-oz crab cakes.

Ingredients for the Crab Cakes:

• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shell
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. snipped chive
• 1 tbsp.  egg, whipped
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Old Bay spice
• Salt, to taste (Between the Old Bay spice salt and the natural salt of the crab, little if any is needed)

Two inside secrets of a great crab cake: First, fold your breadcrumbs into the crabmeat before adding the mayonnaise mix. It will incorporate more evenly, and allow you to adjust the amount of bread if needed. Second, use as little breading as possible! This recipe has been fully tested with Gillian’s gluten-free breadcrumbs; other brands may vary.

Carefully pick the shell, if any, from the crabmeat without breaking it up. In a mixing bowl, blend mayonnaise, lemon, Dijon mustard, chive, egg, old Bay. Gently fold 1/2 of your breading into the crabmeat. Add your mayonnaise mix to the crabmeat and add more breading only if needed. Divide mix into 4 equal parts and mold your 4 crab cakes. (We use pastry cutting rings to make perfect cakes, but hand-forming is also OK.) Bake in 350-degree F for 15 minutes or until center is hot.

Ingredients for the Lemon XVOO (extra virgin olive oil) Sauce:

• ½ cup sugar
• 4 lemons
• Water as needed
• Pinch salt
• ½ cup XVOO

Remove all the rind from the lemons save both skin and center meat of lemon. Triple-boil the lemon rind and change the water each time and in each boil start from cold water to a boil and boil each time 4 minutes. Juice the lemons. In a large pan add rinds, lemon juice, salt, sugar; add water until the rind is just covered and bring to a gentle simmer. Add to a blender and puree very fine; then, running the blender slowly, add the XVOO. Pass through a strainer and chill.

Ingredients for the Simple Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad (4 portions):

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 ripe tomatoes (Heirlooms are always fun)
• 2 ears of corn, in husk
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. flat parsley, washed and chopped
• Green garnish (optional)
• Simple lemon vinaigrette: 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Leave husk on corn and roast on grill till fully cooked (about 20 minutes). Peel corn and remove kernels for salad. Wash and coarsely dice tomatoes. Large avocado, peeled and diced at last minute. Toss corn, tomatoes and avocado in lemon vinaigrette.

To Serve:

1. Place a 1 oz streak of lemon sauce on bottom of plate then add a scoop of corn and tomato salad.
2. Place the crab cake on top, with a green garnish, such as pea vines, if you like.