Never mind frying crab cakes in oil or baking them in the oven. Opt for the air fried version. The crab cakes come out crusty, golden brown, and moist on the inside. Although some recipes call for turning the crab cakes, don't bother. They'll cook up fine without being turned, and the turning risks tearing them apart, which you don't want. The crab cakes are loosely packed, which keeps them light and moist. They also are full of savory vegetables and, best of all, crab, which so many commercial versions seem to forget to include. The recipe makes 8 golf-ball-sized crab cakes, so you'll need to cook them in batches. If you want to serve the crab cakes as a main dish, figure 2 per person. For appetizer servings, figure 1 per person. Yes, crab is expensive, but you'll save a bundle cooking your own crab cakes rather than buying them at the market or a restaurant. Plus, the homemade version is far better tasting!
Air Fryer Crab Cakes -- Makes 8
1/4 cup of chopped green onion
1/4 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup of chopped red bell pepper (or a mixture)
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 cup of plain, non-fat yogurt
1/3 cup of low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper
2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
16 ounces of cooked, shelled crab meat
3/4 cup of seasoned panko bread crumbs, divided
In a microwave-safe bowl combine the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic powder, parsley flakes, and 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave the vegetables for a few minutes or until they soften. Stir in the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon pepper, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Add the egg and then gently stir in the crab. Add 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs and stir them in gently. Let the mixture sit a few minutes, then form golf-ball-sized crab cakes. They should be roundish crab cakes, not flat hockey-puck-like things. Put four crab cakes in the air fryer basket and sprinkle them with a couple of tablespoons of bread crumbs, pressing the crumbs lightly into the crab cakes. Mist the crab cakes with olive oil or vegetable oil spray. Put the basket into the air fryer and cook the crab cakes at 360 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cooked crab cakes carefully and put the remaining four crab cakes into the air fryer basket, repeating the cooking process. Serve the crab cakes warm with the sauce of your choice.
