food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington

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Chapter 4 Gastronomic Identity II: Food and Cuisine
Food Item: Crab Cakes Rex (courtesy Chef John Folse)
Yield: 8 servings
The crab cakes of bayou country are usually dense in texture due to the abundance of bread crumbs in the
recipe. For a more appetizing texture, this recipe has fewer bread crumbs and more crabmeat.
Ingredients
1 lb (454 g) lump crabmeat, picked over
3 tbsp (43 g) butter
1 /2 c (113 g) diced onions
1 /2 c (113 g) diced celery
1 /2 c (113 g) diced red bell peppers
1 /4 c (57 g) minced garlic
1 c (227 g) Italian bread crumbs
1 /4 c (57 g) thinly sliced green onions
1 /4 c (60 ml) mayonnaise
1 egg
2 tbsp (29 g) minced parsley
2 tsp (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp (28 g) Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp (5 ml) Creole mustard
Salt
Cracked black pepper
Louisiana hot sauce
1 /2 c (113 g) Italian bread crumbs
1 /4 c (60 ml) vegetable oil
Preparation
In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add
onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté 3–5
minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Remove and
cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, combine sautéed
vegetables and all remaining ingredients except
crabmeat, 1 /2 cup bread crumbs, and oil. Use hands to
gently fold in crabmeat, continually checking for shell
or cartilage. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Gently
form crab mixture into 1-by-2 1 /2-inch patties. Dust
lightly with bread crumbs, then place on a cookie
sheet. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour. In a sauté
pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sauté
crab cakes 2–3 minutes on each side, turning each
cake over gently to avoid breaking. Place crab cake in
center of dinner plate and top with White or Red
Rémoulade Sauce.
This recipe has many wine-friendly ingredients, like the oyster recipe: garlic, peppers, onions, and crab. The
rémoulade sauce accompanying it creates a bit more heat, but a wine choice of Champagne or New World
Chardonnay from the United States, Australia, or Chile would be appropriate here as well.