I love crab cakes, but have yet to find a restaurant that makes them the way I like. I decided to create this recipe for Floribbean Crab Cakes after dining with country music artist Jordan Mohr at a local seafood restaurant in New Smyrna Beach, FL. Jordan is not just an up-and-coming music artist; she also happens to be a major foodie. I couldn’t just make anything, it had to be good, fresh, and represent our Florida lifestyle. So I decided to pair these cakes with sweet mango salsa and a peppery arugula salad topped with bacon. This combination tastes as good as it looks.
I highly recommend you try this recipe for Floribbean Crab Cakes and check out our interview with country music artist Jordan by clicking here!
Floribbean Crab Cakes with a Peppery Arugula Salad
Servings: 4 people
Cost: 37
Equipment
- 3 bowls
- 1 cast iron pan
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 1 lb crab meat claw or lump
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp mayo
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
- 2 tsp Cajon seasoning
- Olive oil
Mango Salsa
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeño diced with seeds removed
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 ripe mangos peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp spiced rum
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Arugula Salad
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 pound total arugula
- 6 strips bacon cooked
Instructions
Crab Cakes
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. When everything comes together, divide the mixture up into ¼ pound patties. Using a #2 scoop is faster, but you can simply weigh them for uniformity. Once you have all the cakes formed, place them in the refrigerator.
Mango Salsa
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Cover and then place in the refrigerator.
Arugula Salad
- Cook the bacon until it’s crispy. Let cool. Crumble the bacon and reserve. Whisk together the honey, olive oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Whisk in the dressing a ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
The Finish
- Place a cast iron pan, or any heavy bottom pan, over medium heat. Sprinkle the pan with olive oil and add the crab cakes. Leave enough room for you to maneuver with a spatula. Brown the first side and then flip and repeat with the other side. It should take up to two minutes for each side.
- Toss in the arugula with the dressing you made. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Service
- Place two crab cakes on a plate and top with a ¼ cup of the manga salsa. Next, place some arugula on the plate and sprinkle the top of the salad with the bacon.
