serves 4
Crab Cakes
2 ounces shelled and deveined shrimp
2 ounces fresh scallops
¼ cup heavy cream
½ pound cooked, shelled Dungeness crabmeat
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped,plus more leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Blend the shrimp, scallops, cream and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and gently fold in the crabmeat and parsley with a wooden spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Lemon Aioli
2 egg yolks
Juice of ½ lemon
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl until well combined. Add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking steadily until well combined. If the mixture is too thick, substitute a few teaspoons of water for the remaining oil, as the aoili comes together. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Green Oil
½ cup spinach
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Blend the spinach and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor until bright green and well combined. Set aside.
Balsamic Reduction
1 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced
While the vinegar reduces, remove the crab mixture from the refrigerator and form it into four ½-inch thick patties. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the crab cakes until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Assemble
Decorate the plate with drops of green oil and balsamic reduction. Place the crab cakes in the center of the plate and garnish with spoonfulls of aioli and chopped parsley. Repeat with the remaining crab cakes and serve immediately.
