3697. BACON CRAB CAKES with PIMIENTO-CORN RELISH

yields four servings 


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

 

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.


bacon recipe source: Patrick Decker, Cooking Channel TV