Crab Cakes with Avocado Salsa

Yields 4 servings

Recipe by Chef Jacques Pépin

For crab cakes:
8 ounces crabmeat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1½ slices firm white bread, processed to crumbs in a food processor (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons peanut oil

For salsa:
1 small ripe avocado
1 ripe tomato (5 ounces), peeled with a sharp vegetable peeler, halved, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions:

For crab cakes, pick the crabmeat over for shells and cartilage. Cut it into 1/4-inch pieces. You should have 1½ loosely packed cups. Gently mix the crabmeat with the salt, pepper, thyme, chives, Tabasco and mayonnaise in a bowl. Add the bread crumbs and toss them lightly into the mixture.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form it into patties about 1 inch thick. Handle the mixture gently; the cakes are fragile. Heat the oil in a large skillet. When it is hot, carefully place the patties in the skillet and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

For salsa, peel and pit the avocado and coarsely chop it. Combine the avocado and tomato in a bowl. Add the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and water, tossing gently to mix. To serve, spoon the avocado salsa onto four individual plates, and sprinkle with the chives. Place the crab cakes on top and serve.

Photo: Mark Harms/Eight, Arizona PBS

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