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Crab & Shrimp Cakes

Crab and Shrimp Cakes

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Crab and Shrimp Cakes

The Caribbean dry spice mix in this recipe gives these crab cakes a unique twist. I also serve them with a Caribbean seasoned remoulade and, in the summer months, a nice corn relish. In the late fall and early winter, I switch out the sweet summer corn for roasted beets. Grilling the corn on the cob is another option that I often use for cooking the corn.

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Crab and Shrimp Cakes
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Crab and Shrimp Cakes

Recipe by Michael SalmonCourse: AppetizersDifficulty: Medium
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound Maine shrimp meat (titi or small raw shrimp)

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/4 pound fresh Maine crabmeat

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 Tablespoon minced red onion

  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped celery

  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon Caribbean dry spice mix (recipe below)

  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil

  • 12 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined  

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • kosher salt and freshly grated black pepper

  • Caribbean remoulade (recipe below)

  • Sweet corn relish (recipe below)

  • 6 fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

  • Caribbean Remoulade

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/2 teaspoon Caribbean dry spice mix (recipe below)

  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper

  • 1 teaspoon capers, chopped

  • pinch of salt

  • Sweet Corn Relish

  • 2 ears fresh corn on the cob

  • 1 Tablespoon minced red onion

  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper

  • 3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • Caribbean Dry Spice Mix

  • 4 each bay leaves

  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

  • 2 teaspoons dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

  • Drain the Maine shrimp and remove any shell fragments. Pat dry with paper towels.
  • In a medium sauté pan, heat the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the Maine shrimp for 1 minute. Squeeze the excess water from the crabmeat, and place the crabmeat in a large bowl. Add the cooked shrimp, egg, red onion, celery, red bell pepper, mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of the panko breadcrumbs, thyme and Caribbean dry spice mix. Stir to combine. 
  • Portion the crabmeat mixture into 12 balls and pat down, forming the balls into 3/4-inch high disks. One by one, set the cakes into a bowl with the remaining panko breadcrumbs to coat, pressing slightly and coating on both sides. 
  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Coat the shrimp with the olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper.  
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the crab cakes in 2 Tablespoons canola oil for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 300-degree oven.
  • Wipe out the sauté pan with a paper towel and return to the heat. When hot, add the shrimp and cook for 30 seconds on each side, or until they become opaque.
  • To serve, place two crab cakes in the center of the plates, leaning one of them on the other. Place a 2-Tablespoon dollop of Caribbean remoulade in front of the crab cakes and a mound of Sweet corn relish behind them. Place a shrimp on the top of each crab cake. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
  • Caribbean Remoulade
  • Combine all ingredients and mix well. Can be made up to 2 days in advance if covered and refrigerated.
  • Sweet Corn Relish
  • Cut the corn off the cob and blanch in a small pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes. 
  • Strain off water and place the corn in a medium-sized bowl. Spread out to cool.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and toss. The relish should be made at least 2 hours in advance to allow the flavors to combine. It can be made up to 2 days in advance if covered and refrigerated.  
  • Caribbean Spice Mix
  • Grind the bay leaves finely in a food processor or mortar and pestle and add the remaining ingredients.  Mix well.

2 Comments

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