Caesar Salad With Mini Crab Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

SALAD
6 cups shredded romaine lettuce (about 2 large heads)
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small julienne strips (1/4-inch x1-inch)
1 small purple onion, cut into thin slices and then quartered
CRAB CAKES
1 lb backfin fresh lump crabmeat (I use Phillip's brand pasteurized crab meat) or 1 lb pasteurized crabmeat (I use Phillip's brand pasteurized crab meat)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumb (not dried crumbs)
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon)
4 teaspoons finely minced celery
4 tablespoons finely minced yellow onions
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish (from jar)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1 eggs or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
canola oil, as needed (for frying)
TO BREAD CRAB CAKES
1/2 - 3/4 cup cornmeal
SALAD GARNISHES
4 -8 ounces caesar salad dressing (Cardini, Girard's, or Ken's brands)
1 1/2 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese (Reggiano is best)
72 seasoned croutons (I use Drew's Spicy Croutons #54461)
6 sprigs fresh parsley or 6 sprigs basil

Preparation

SALAD: Toss together shredded romaine, purple onion, and julienned red bell pepper.
Refrigerate until serving time.
CRAB CAKES: In large bowl, mix salt, Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne pepper, 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, dijon mustard, celery, bell pepper, onion, horseradish, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and egg.
Mix well.
Add crab meat and gently stir, leaving crab in as large a hunks as you can.
If mixture appears too soft, add the remaining breadcrumbs, and gently stir.
Mixture should still be somewhat soft but not runny.
Place 1/4 cup cornmeal on large cookie sheet, scattering to form a thin coating over entire surface.
Set aside.
Place 1/4 cornmeal on salad-sized plate.
With a tablespoon measure, scoop crab mixture and gently place on cornmeal.
Shape into a 2-inch patty, pressing any stray crab mixture around edges to form a round patty.
Gently turn crab cake over to get cornmeal on second side.
Place crab cakes on large, cornmeal-coated cookie sheet.
Repeat process until all crab cakes are made (about 30-32), adding more cornmeal to small plate, if needed.
Cover crab cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate, to chill- 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
TO COOK CRAB CAKES: In large skillet, add canola oil to depth of 1/4-inch.
Heat on medium-high heat until hot.
Add crab cakes (do not crowd), and cook until browned, turn over and cook on second side until browned.
Total cooking time should be about 4-5 minutes.
Add more oil to pan, as needed.
Repeat until all crab cakes are browned on both sides.
PRESENTATION: On each plate, place 1/6 of shredded lettuce mixture.
Top salad with 5 hot crab cakes, placing one in the center.
Immediately sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over warm crab cakes.
Place 12 croutons around outer edge of lettuce.
Drizzle Caesar Salad dressing in a spiral over crab cakes and salad.
Garnish center crab cake with parsley or basil.
TO SERVE CRAB CAKES LATER: Place cooled crab cakes in covered flat-bottomed dish, separating each layer with waxed paper.
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.
To reheat, place crab cakes in toaster over and toast just until hot.
Or place in single layer on cookie sheet and bake in preheated 425 degree oven until hot- about 3-4 minutes.
Do not let them dry out!
Serve.