Provided by Chef Gina Rodriguez, Kokopelli Restaurant and Tequila Bar
Serves 4
For the Crab Cakes:
¾ cups Meaty white fish filet, chopped
1 cup Crab meat, super or jumbo lump
¼ cups Heavy Cream
1/3 cups Leeks, small dice, sautéed in oil until soft, then cooled.
1 tea spoon House spice - (old bay can be substituted)
1 table spoon Fresh Parsley and Celantro - minced equal pts
Salt and Pepper to taste
Place fish into a food processor, season with salt and pepper. Pulse while adding heavy cream. Do not over process. Fold in leeks, house spice and herbs. Fold in crab meat last and do not over mix so as to maintain the integrity of the crab meat. Form crab cakes by hand and place into refrigerator to set up.
For the Salad:
½ c Shaved Fennel, set in ice water to crisp, then drained
8 orange segments
Candied orange zest
Olive oil, for dressing the salad
Salt and Pepper to taste
Reduced White Balsamic for plate presentation
For presentation:
Using a flat surfaced heavy bottom sauté pan, heat on medium then add oil to lightly coat bottom.
Carefully place crab cakes into hot pan and do not move them around. Allow to sear to a golden color before flipping to the other side. Pull the pan off heat and place into a 350 degree oven to bake through; approx 5 minutes.
Prepare the salad. In a small bowl, place the drained, shaved fennel, orange zest, orange segments, salt and pepper. You can add any type of salad greens you like to this to make it you own. Drizzle the salad with good olive oil and toss just prior to plating the crab cakes.
Remove Crab cakes from the pan onto a plate. Top with the salad, and drizzle with reduced balsamic and enjoy.
