Thierry’S Dungeness Crab Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 lb dungeness crabmeat, drained, picked clean of shell, and lightly squeezed if wet
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (made fresh)
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

Make the cakes: put the crabmeat on a cutting board and chop it into small pieces-no piece of crab should be larger than the size of a pea (it is important to chop the crab so you get a nice tight pack in the mold without air spaces).
Transfer crabmeat to a bowl; add in garlic, shallots, chives, basil, and pepper to taste.
Set 4 ring molds on a work surface; divide crab mixture among molds, packing the crab as tightly as you can into each mold with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
Put the bread crumbs on a plate; leaving the crabmeat in the mold, use a spoon to generously spread an even layer of egg wash on the crabmeat.
Turn the mold upside down (egg-washed side down) onto the plate of bread crumbs.
If the crabmeat is not even with the edge of the mold on both sides, push down on the crabmeat with your fingers so the egg-washed side makes contact with the bread crumbs.
Generously spoon the egg wash over the unbreaded side of the mold, and turn the mold upside down again to bread-crumb the other side, pushing down on the crabmeat if needed to make contact with the crumbs.
Both top and bottom sides of the crabmeat in the mold should be evenly covered with a layer of egg wash and crumbs; set the mold aside and repeat with the remaining molds.
Set a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat; add in the oil; when skillet is hot, pick up a mold and place in the pan, then use your fingers to carefully push the crab cake out of the mold, removing the mold from the pan.
Repeat with the remaining molds; cook the crab cakes until browned on the first side, about 1 minute, then very carefully turn them over, using a spatula, and brown the second side, about 1 minute.
Set out 4 plates and set a crab cake on each plate; suggested to serve with Clam Aioli ladled around each cake, sprinkled with chives.