Crab Cake Croquettes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
3 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for shallow frying
1 celery rib, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped (with or without seeds)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 lb lump crabmeat, picked through for shells, coarsely chopped
4 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
kosher salt and black pepper

Preparation

Mix together the mayonnaise, chili-garlic sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate to chill. Heat a straight-sided 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until glossy. Add the celery, jalapenos, onions and bell peppers and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, 10 to 12 minutes. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.
Add the crabmeat, 1 1/2 cups of the breadcrumbs, the egg and 1/2 cup of the chili mayonnaise to the cooled vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Place the remaining 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Shape the crab mixture into bite-size (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) croquettes, 25 to 30 total. Dredge each croquette in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat. Arrange the croquettes on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
Heat 1/4 inch canola oil in the same heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the croquettes until golden brown and cooked through, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Serve with the remaining chili mayonnaise.