Charleston Crab Cakes

Big lumps of blue crab held together with barely any filler, chilled firm, then seared in butter until a crust forms. The trick is a light hand: fold, don't stir, so the cakes stay loose and sweet.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shell
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• Lemon wedges and remoulade, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, parsley, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.
2. Add the panko and stir to combine, then gently fold in the crabmeat. Use a rubber spatula and a light hand so the lumps stay intact.
3. If the mixture feels too wet to hold a shape, add another tablespoon of panko. It should just barely cohere.
4. Divide into 4 to 6 cakes about an inch thick. Set them on a plate, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so they firm up.
5. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter foams.
6. Add the cakes and cook without moving them for 4 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms.
7. Flip carefully and cook the second side for 3 to 4 minutes more, until browned and hot through.
8. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges and remoulade.

Tips

• Chilling is not optional. Cold cakes hold their shape in the pan; warm ones fall apart the moment you flip them.
• Buy the best crab you can and pick through it twice for bits of shell. With this little filler, the crab is the whole show.