Crab Cakes! (For Beginners!)

I have never ever EVER made crab cakes before.  Although some people are scared of the actual frying part, I was scared of having it taste decent.  This is an altered version of crab cakes that has already been tested and re-tested and will probably go through one more round of alterations.  My first problem was underestimating the saltiness of the crab; no salt and hardly any spices are added to this recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
8 oz. lump crabmeat, drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup non-seasoned bread crumbs (panko works fine too!)
1 tsp. garlic powder (or your favorite seasoning)
1 egg
1 tsp. lemon juice
panko bread crumbs
vegetable oil, for frying

Step 3

Recipe:
1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, bread crumbs, garlic powder, egg, and lemon juice. Mix well.
2. Add crab meat and fold (instead of stirring) into the mixture to combine.
3. Form crab cakes approximately 2-inches in diameter (about 5 crab cakes).
4. Pour panko bread crumbs onto a plate or shallow dish. Lightly dredge the crab cakes into panko (both sides!) and set aside.
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, fry crab cakes in batches for about 2-3 minutes on each side.*
6. Transfer to a sheet man or plate lined with paper towels.
7. Serve with tarter sauce or homemade spicy remoulade sauce and ENJOY!

Woohoo! First ever crab cakes!

Once I figure out exactly how I made this awesome spicy remoulade sauce, I'll post it.  Remoulade is a fancy name for an aioli- or mayo-based sauce (used on meats, fish, and everything fried.)  This was a mayonniase-based sauce and was thrown together based on what spices and sauces were available! (cajun seasoning, lemon juice, ground mustard, worcheshire sauce, garlic powder, etc.)

*If the oil is not hot enough, the crab cakes will easily fall apart while you're cooking them.  Test out the heat by putting either a piece of the crab cake, or some panko bread crumbs in the pan.  Another mistake is making the oil TOO hot, causing everything to crisp and burn in the matter of seconds.

The great thing about crab cakes is that you can make them ahead of time.  After step 3, you can wrap each crab cake individually in plastic wrap to preserve its shape.  When you're ready to serve, bread with panko and fry!