Cooking Done Light

I like to serve these crab cakes as a main course with a corn and tomato salsa on the side. They are always a huge hit with dinner guests and because of the intense flavor of the salsa, you can skip the fatty tartar sauce that normally accompanies seafood dishes. If I’m going to serve this dish as a weeknight dinner, I serve it simply with a side of herbed corn and homemade cocktail sauce – not that the salsa is time consuming (it’s not), I’m just too lazy to do the chopping at the end of the day!! Either way, they’re delicious! I have included the recipe for the salsa so that you can try it and decide for yourself.

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat

1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise

4 scallions, finely chopped (if you can’t find scallions, just substitute a small shallot)

3 tablespoons whole wheat breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat panko)

1 tablespoon coarse grained dijon or english mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

1 egg white

hot pepper sauce, to taste (I normally use between 4-6 drops)

1/2 cup crumbled cornflakes (crumble first, then measure)

Combine the crabmeat, mayonnaise, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, egg white, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Mix well and shape into 8 patties.

Sprinkle the cornflake crumbs onto a plate and dip the crabcakes into them to coat; cover and refrigerate for at least minutes.

Generously spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for 3-5 minutes per side (try to turn them only once), until slightly crisp and golden brown.

For the salsa:

2 packages frozen corn, thawed (or 3 large ears fresh)

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, vinegar, olive oil and salt in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature, or just slightly chilled.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving (2 crab cakes and 1/4 of the salsa): 372 calories, 7 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 32 g protein, 339 mg sodium, 118 mg cholesterol