Cat Cora is a renowned chef, restaurateur, author and philanthropist. The latest initiative she’s heading up for her charity, Chefs For Humanity, is her 1 Million in 1 Month campaign (1million1month.org) to support relief efforts in Haiti.

Here, Cat gives us a great recipe to celebrate the kick-off of Mardi Gras today. With the abundant supply of crabs along the Gulf Coast, crab cakes have become a staple in New Orleans. In this version, the salsa and mango coulis give them a fun flair in honor of Mardi Gras.

Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients for Crab Cakes:

2 cups canola oil

½ pound Maine or Dungeness crabmeat

3 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons scallions, thinly slices

11/2 tablespoon red bell pepper, finely diced

¼ cup mayonnaise or aioli

1 tablespoon Tabasco

1 ¼ cup breadcrumbs

2 TBS cup lemon juice

1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 beaten egg

Preparation:

1. In a 10 inch sauté pan, heat 1 cup canola oil on high heat. Test readiness with a piece of bread. Turn heat to medium. Check temperature with thermometer it should read 375 degrees. 

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine crab, onion, scallions, bell pepper, mayonnaise, Tabasco, breadcrumbs, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until fully incorporated.

3. Make 3 ounce cakes and dredge in the flour, then egg and the remaining breadcrumbs. Lay the cakes in the oil and pan fry for 5-6 minutes.  Remove and place on a paper towel and season with salt in a mixing bowl.

Ingredients for Avocado Salsa:

2 avocado

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoons cilantro

2 tablespoon red onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ingredients for Mango Coulis:

2 mangos

2 cups water

1 teaspoon confectioner sugar

Preparation:

1. In a blender combine ingredients and mix until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve: spoon puree onto a plate in a small pool. Slice the cake in half and lay the bottom portion in the puree.  Spoon avocado on top and place the top of the cake on the avocado like a sandwich. Top with a small amount of avocado and garnish with cilantro leaf.

For more recipes like this one, check out our Recipe File.