Lightened Up Crab Cakes

I LOVE crab cakes. I love these crab cakes because they are light and delicious. They were a bit expensive to make (I used lump crab) but they were worth it for our Sunday dinner. I halved the recipe for two and served them with a crispy salad on the side.

Lightened Up Crab Cakes
From Clean Eating Magazine

1 lb crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons whole-wheat panko bread crumbs (I used regular panko)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Zest of half a lemon
1 ½ teaspoons salt-free chile or Cajun seasoning blend (e.g., Mrs. Dash, etc)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch kosher salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
¼ cup white whole-wheat flour
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Mango salsa (I got mine from Whole Foods)

In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, Dijon, panko, parsley, scallions, lemon zest, chile seasoning, paprika, salt, egg and egg white. Gently fold mixture with a rubber spatula to blend.

To form patties, firmly pack crab mixture into a ¼-cup measuring cup. Invert crab into your palm and press into the shape of a disk, about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining crab mixture. Cover patties with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours to firm up crab cakes.

Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Put flour in a wide bowl or pie plate and season with black pepper. Gently dredge each crab cake in flour and transfer to parchment paper. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large heavy skillet and heat on medium. Add half of crab cakes and cook until golden brown, 4 – 5 minutes per side. Do not crowd pan. Use remaining oil for the remaining crab cakes. Serve with mango salsa.