“I grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas, where my family enjoyed the abundance of fresh seafood,” says member Elaine Sweet. “I took my mom’s classic crab cake recipe and updated it to reflect my family’s tastes. We love spicy foods with good texture; cilantro and lime juice are two of our favorite accent items.” After adding a few ingredients, Elaine substituted a lighter, more flavorful sauce for the traditional tartar sauce.


CRAB CAKES
1 lb. crab meat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs, divided
4 tablespoons butter, divided

SAUCE
1/2 cup white wine
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Dash freshly ground black pepper

1. Remove any bits of shell or cartilage from crab meat; place in medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, egg, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, horseradish, 1 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper; stir gently to combine. Add 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs; lightly stir together. Cover and refrigerate.

2. In medium saucepan, combine wine and shallot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add cream, broth and cumin; bring to a boil.

3. In small cup, stir together water and cornstarch. Slowly add to cream mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook 30 seconds. Whisk in 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt and dash black pepper. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Place in blender; blend until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Pour into small saucepan. When ready to serve, heat over low heat until warm.

4. Shape crab mixture into 6 (3 1/2-inch) patties. Place remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs in shallow dish. Coat patties with bread crumbs. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties, in batches if necessary, 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown, turning once and adding additional butter as needed. Serve warm with sauce.

6 (3 1/2-inch)crab cakes

PER CRAB CAKE: 410 calories, 31.5 g total fat (11.5 g saturated fat), 18 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 160 mg cholesterol, 880 mg sodium, 1 g fiber