Paleo Crab Cakes

Paleo appetizers are such a wonderful way to flaunt why choosing to eat paleolithic, is by no means, about flavor compromise or deprivation. It can indeed be about elegance, decadence and flavor enhancement! I took this dish to a "Paleo Appetizer Party", where there was an assortment of delicious Paleo treats to taste and devour! Yes, we ate well...

This is another recipe from Marks Daily Apple, which I followed verbatim (except I doubled the recipe and added a little ground mustard to the seasoning...but that's it!) It turned out very good, and if you're a crab cake lover, I know you'll be pleased! No one will miss the breading AT ALL!!! Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:

1 pound crab meat, combination of lump and claw (I actually used just claw meat from TJ's refrigerated section)
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
1 teaspoon lemon zest (grated off the outside of a lemon)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup olive oil

Bundle the crab in a thin dishtowel and give it a few hard squeezes to release moisture. You’ll probably be able to get a couple tablespoons of liquid to drip out. Whisk the egg yolks. Add the shallot, celery, dill, lemon zest, hot sauce and paprika. Gently mix this into the crab. The mixture is not going to look like it will hold together, but don’t worry.To form the crab cakes all you need is a round cookie cutter about 2 inches wide. Using a tablespoon measurement, scoop 2 generous tablespoons of crab into the cookie cutter.Press the crab down very firmly with your fingers. Gently lift the cookie cutter.Using this method, you should be able to make at least a dozen crab cakes. Cover the cakes and refrigerate for one hour or more. This helps the ingredients bind together.

Preheat your oven to 375. On the stovetop, heat the olive oil in a pan. When the oil starts to sizzle, use a spatula to slide the crab cakes into the pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are browned and crispy. Don’t put too many in the pan at once.Use a spatula to scoop the cakes out the pan and onto a cookie sheet. Put in the oven for another six minutes to make sure they are warmed through the middle. Garnish with dill.The most important steps in this recipe are using the cookie cutter to shape the crab cakes and refrigerating them for at least an hour before cooking. Other than that, let your regional tastes take over. Add red pepper if you like or mustard. Play around with the seasonings.