Crab Cake Benedict
Servings: 4
Calories: 752kcal
If you love crab cakes and eggs benedict, you will flip for this dish. When forming the crab cakes, resist making them too thick. Once the breading is on, it will be even thicker. You want a want a nice ratio of egg, crab cake, and sauce. Be sure to have all of the components ready to quickly prepare once the crab cakes are made. Then, everything will come together quickly and served nice and warm!
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Equipment
- 1 medium skillet for sautéing
- 1 large sturdy skillet for frying
- 1 pot for stirring the egg the poached eggs
- 1 Blender for making the easy hollandaise sauce
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup onion chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz lump crab meat picked over for cartilage or shells
- 2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped
- 3 whole eggs divided, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers drained, non-pareil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2½ cups Panko breadcrumbs plus more, if needed
- vegetable oil for frying
For the Vortex-Style Poached Eggs
- 8 whole eggs
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
For the Eggs Benedict
- 2 cups hollandaise sauce click the link for the easy recipe
- 4 English muffins split in half
- 1 teaspoon paprika for garnish
- 2 tablespoon chives snipped, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Crab Cakes
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Place in a bowl and set aside to completely cool (can cool in the fridge to expedite this).2 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup onion, ½ cup red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Add to the sautéed vegetables the crab meat, parsley, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, capers, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Old Bay, salt, and pepper. Stir until completely combined. We recommend allowing the mixture to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to overnight).8 oz lump crab meat, 2 tablespoon Italian parsley, 3 whole eggs, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon capers, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Remove the crab mixture from the fridge. Place the remaining 2 lightly beaten eggs in a shallow bowl and add 1 tablespoon water. Stir to combine. In another shallow bowl, add the remaining 2 cups of the Panko.2½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Form the crab cakes into patties about ½-inch thick and about the diameter of your English muffin bottom (about 2½ inches). Use a metal spatula (or your fingers) to carefully place the formed cake into the egg wash, and gently turn it over until fully coated. Lift out of the egg wash and allow the excess to drip away. Place the cake into the Panko breadcrumbs and carefully flip until completely coated. (You can use a spoon to help.) Repeat with the remaining crab cakes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes. (You may need to replenish your Panko if doing 8 cakes.)
- Meanwhile, add the oil to a sturdy skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 330°F, or until a piece of bread tossed in turns golden after about 10 seconds.vegetable oil
- Remove the chilled crab cakes from the fridge and use a metal spatula to gently lower the cakes into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown all over (flipping a time or two). This usually takes about 7 to 9 minutes. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Make the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict
- While the crab cakes are chilling in the fridge (before frying), bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Working in batches, crack each egg into small bowls (or any kind of vessel that will hold 1 egg). Drizzle a drop of the white vinegar over the tops of each egg.8 whole eggs, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to create a vortex in the boiling water by stirring vigorously in a circular motion. Once the water is swirling, swiftly transfer the eggs into the water. Turn off the heat and allow the eggs to rest in the hot water for 3 minutes (for a runny yolk) or 5 minutes for a less runny yolk.
- Meanwhile, add water to a medium-sized bowl and heat in the microwave until warm (or use hot tap water). Use a slotted spoon to lift the eggs from the hot vortex water in the pot and transfer them to the warm water in the bowl. Repeat the entire process with the remaining eggs.
- Melt the butter for the Easy Hollandaise and add the remaining ingredients to a blender. Follow the steps for making the sauce. Set aside and add more hot water (from the vortex pot) if the sauce is too thick (it will thicken as it sits.2 cups hollandaise sauce
- Toast the English muffins.4 English muffins
- Place the toasted muffins on a plate. Top each with a crab cake, then use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the poached eggs from the warm water to the tops of each crab cake. Pour hollandaise sauce over the tops of the poached eggs, and garnish with paprika and chives. Serve at once.1 teaspoon paprika, 2 tablespoon chives
Video
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.
The crab cakes can be made an hour (or two) in advance. Keep them warm (and crisp) in a low-temp oven (250°F) until ready to serve.
Be sure to look at the Easy Hollandaise Sauce recipe before you get started. The eggs and hollandaise sauce should be prepared around the same time. You can gently reheat the hollandaise sauce on the stove over low heat with the addition of a little water. You can also add the hot water from poaching the eggs to get the sauce to your desired consistency.
Even if only serving two people, we make the recipe as is, except with half the eggs and muffins, and freeze the extra crab cake mixture.
The crab cakes can be frozen (cooked or uncooked) for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat in the oven or preferably in hot oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 752kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 903mg | Potassium: 458mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1359IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 4mg