Crab cakes with green salad

Ingredients:

Crab cakes

• 1 cup coarsely crushed saltine crackers (about 90g)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped celery leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (See the recipe for the chili pepper spice mix here)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 450 g crab meat or imitation crab meat
• 6 tbsp (85 g) butter, melted

Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tablespoons chopped pickled cucumbers
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 green onions, cut into rings
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad

• 1 large head of lettuce, coarsely chopped
• 4 small heads red or white endive (chicory), each cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
• 4 inner celery stalks, leaves coarsely chopped, stalks diced
• 4 feathers green onions, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 4 cm strips
• 1/2 cup fresh chervil, tarragon, and/or dill leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Prepare crab cakes: Place half of the cracker crumbs in a large bowl. Add the egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, parsley, celery leaves and seeds, mustard powder, chili pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Add the crab meat and mix gently. Form the meatballs into six patties. Transfer the remaining cracker crumbs to a plate and roll the patties in the crumbs. Transfer the patties to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, 2 to 6 hours.
2. Prepare the sauce: Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and green onions in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
3. Preheat oven to 230°C. Drizzle the patties with melted butter and place in the top rack of the oven. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the salad: Combine the lettuce, endive, tomatoes, celery, green onions, chervil, and parsley in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste and toss gently. Serve the crab cakes with the sauce and salad.