Bacon Crab Cakes with Pimiento-Corn Relish

Name: Bacon Crab Cakes with Pimiento-Corn Relish
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H35M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H5M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 strips smoked bacon; 1 stalk celery, finely chopped; 1/2 small onion, finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from about 3 ears of corn); Salt and pepper; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 4-ounce jar diced pimientos, drained; 1 pound lump crab meat; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 small onion, finely grated; 1 clove garlic, finely grated; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 to 1/2 cup crushed pretzels, as needed; 3/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay; Few dashes hot sauce; Salt

Getting reviews...

While crab cakes may sound like a budget-busting endeavor for a standard barbecue, they don't have to be. Crab comes in different grades usually labeled (in ascending order of quality) special, claw and lump. The texture of the lump meat is certainly lovely, but I like to reserve it for a simple presentation - like a crab salad, for instance - where its pricey texture can really shine. In this case, since we're mixing the crab with all sorts of other things and then frying it, reach for "special" grade - the flavor is the same. They won't, however, last very long. Get your "cook's-spoils" bites in early.

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 5 min

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 35 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 5 min

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 35 min

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 strips smoked bacon

For the relish:

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from about 3 ears of corn)

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 4-ounce jar diced pimientos, drained

For the crab cakes:

1 pound lump crab meat

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 small onion, finely grated

1 clove garlic, finely grated

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 to 1/2 cup crushed pretzels, as needed

3/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

Few dashes hot sauce

Salt

Directions

Place a large saute pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until golden brown and crisp, 7 to 8 minutes total. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in a dish and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
Return the pan to medium heat and add the celery, onion, corn and some salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar and pimientos to the pan and cook until the vinegar has reduced and the corn is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as needed and set the relish aside to cool.
Place a large skillet over medium heat with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the crab cakes, along with the reserved crisp bacon, adjusting the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. Working in batches as needed, scoop out about 1/4 cup of mix for each crab cake and cook in the bacon fat, turning once, until golden brown and heated through, about 3 minutes per side.
As batches finish cooking, reserve them on a plate; add more bacon fat to the pan as needed throughout cooking.
Serve the warm crab cakes over warm or room temperature relish.

Cook’s Note

One of the greatest tips I ever learned was how to get corn off the cob without littering your cutting board. When cutting off the kernels, invert a small bowl inside of a larger bowl. Set the corncob on top of the small bowl and start cutting. As the kernels fall off the cob, your makeshift moat will catch them all, keeping you from chasing them down from all corners of the countertop.