New England Crab Cake

The lobster may be New England’s go-to summer crustacean but chef Nicholas Calias’ updates to this traditional recipe may have you giving crab a second look. Calias adds a dash of masala and a little sriracha to his crab cakes to spice things up. He also coats the cakes in kaitaifi (shredded fillo dough) instead of your basic breadcrumbs to give the regional classic an international twist.

Ingredients

For the crab cake

1 pound jumbo lump crab
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoon masala
1 tablespoon chive, chopped
1 tablespoon Sriracha
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
kaitaifi as needed, chopped (shredded phyllo, can be found in specialty stores)
flour, as needed
egg, as needed
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces aioli
0.5 ounces baby greens

For the aioli

1 cup mayonnaise
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

For the baby greens

0.5 ounces baby greens
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

For the crab cake

In one bowl mix together the shallots and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
In another bowl mix together the crab, chives, cilantro, cumin, masala spice and sriracha.
Add mayonnaise to crab mixture.
Puree white bread without the crust and add it to the mixture to bind.
Season with salt & pepper.
Make 1.5 ounces timbale, bread in flour, then egg & roll in the chopped kaitaifi.
Fry until golden brown and plate with aioli.

For the aioli