Hearts-of-Palm-Style Crab Cakes with Rémoulade

Ingredients

Rémoulade

• 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons minced capers
• 2 teaspoons minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced red bell pepper

Crab Cakes

• 1 sheet of nori, or 2 teaspoons toasted nori flakes
• Two 14-ounce cans hearts of palm
• 1/2 cup canola oil, more if needed (alternative:reduce to 1/4 cup oil if using small sauté pan)
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons Vegenaise or other vegan mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Prepare Rémoulade: Place all rémoulade ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend on high for 1 minute.
Set aside or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2. Prepare Crab Cakes: Toast nori sheet by holding it with tongs and fanning it over a low gas flame or electric burner. Be careful not to let it burn. Turn the sheet frequently, so that it toasts evenly.

3. Grind the nori using a spice grinder or a coffee grinder that you use exclusively for spices. Break the nori into pieces, place it in the grinder, and pulse until powdered. Alternatively, crumble it as finely as you can with your hands or pulverize it with a mortar and pestle.

4. Drain the hearts of palm and press in a towel to dry them. In a food processor, pulse gently until it looks like the consistency of crabmeat.

5. Place a small sauté pan on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and heat 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. Sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. In a large bowl, combine hearts of palm, onion, bell pepper, Vegenaise, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, nori flakes, nutritional yeast flakes, arrowroot or cornstarch, and salt and pepper. Mix until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

7. Scoop with an ice cream scoop or a large tablespoon to portion into small cakes. Combine breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning. Coat the small cakes with breadcrumbs. Form and let sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.

8. Cook Crab Cakes: Place a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add some canola oil and heat for 2 minutes. Working in batches, sauté the cakes (make certain that the oil comes about half-way up the sides of the cakes) until browned on both sides and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

9. Remove the cakes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in a warm oven (2ooF) until you finish all of the cakes.

10. Serve: Place the cakes on a place and garnish with Rémoulade.

Enjoy,

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Photo Credit: Andrew Scrivani