crab cakes

NATURE !

Where cakes are balls because spheres are one of geometry's perfect solids and I did not have the heart to smash them. There was no reason to. 

Here is where soda crackers are usually smashed to smithereens and used for a coating, but alas, for I am soda crackerless therefore Panko is used instead. Also these crab balls  are baked instead of deep-fried. The balls were sprayed with vegetable oil to assist with oven browning and to make up for the oil they're not having by being fried. 

There are a million recipes online. I think the point is to use as little egg and bread as possible and to hold back on seasoning so that the delicate crab can be appreciated. Wouldn't do to completely mask the crab with a bunch of fillers and flavors. 

The mixture is combined and then refrigerated for hours. The balls or patties are formed, coated, and refrigerated again for less the second time, a mere half hour or so. These crab balls were rushed. One of them fell apart, but not too badly. 

Mayonnaise was made at home specifically for this. The dressing for the salad is that same mayonnaise that went into the crab balls. The sauce for the crab balls is that same mayonnaise with a teaspoon of pickle relish added. 

I do not much care for Old Bay spice mixture, and besides, my can of it is, er, old.  I used a scant 1/2 teaspoon for a whole pound of crab and supplemented that with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder, which I like a lot better, but you might prefer to stick with Old Bay.