Chef’s Recipe: Spicy Crab Cakes with Tomato Salsa by Tom Aikens

This flavourful spicy crab cake and fresh salsa is enough to freshen up any spring/ summer. Brought to you by Tom Aikens, and available in all Tom’s Kitchen restaurants (a slightly different version), this is a lovely recipe to try at home.

INGREDIENTS  –  Makes 5

Spicy Crab Cakes

• 135g fresh white crab meat
• 135g baked potato, put through a sieve
• 85g shallots, finely diced
• 17g butter
• 3.5g salt
• 6 turns of black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 20g coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 large red chilli, finely diced and no seeds
• 2 large green chilli, finely diced and no seeds
• Zest of 3 limes
• 1.3g smoked paprika
• 0.5g cayenne pepper
• 1 x egg for egg wash
• Flour for Panko crumbs
• 1 x pack Panko breadcrumbs

Tomato Salsa

• 70g red onion, peeled and diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 300g tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and diced
• 20g lime juice
• 5g red chilli, finely diced
• 10g coriander, finely chopped
• 7g basil, finely chopped
• 35ml olive oil
• 6g sea salt
• 7 turns black pepper
• 8g caster sugar

METHOD

1. To make the crab cakes, place the butter into a pan on a medium heat, once melted add the shallots, salt, pepper and cover with a lid, sweat till just soft for 2-3 minutes with no colour, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then leave to cool in a bowl.
2. Mix into this the crab, potato, coriander, chilli, lime zest, paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper, add the egg yolks and check the seasoning. Mould into approximately 65g size cakes that are approximately 1.5cm depth and 5cm diameter, place into the fridge to set for an hour. Making 5 cakes.

3. Once set, using floured hands and a palette knife, tap the cakes into the right shape using plenty of flour, place one at a time into the egg wash and then lifting them out one by one place into the crumbs and tap all over with a palette knife so they are well coated, place onto a clean tray and repeat the process again with just egg wash and breadcrumbs.

4. To make the tomato salsa, mix all the ingredients together and season to taste.

5. To assemble, place the crab cake into the fryer until lightly golden. Then place in the oven for five minutes.

6. To serve, put the tomato salsa into a side dish next to the crab cake.

Alternatively, dine with the Luxury Restaurant Club at Tom’s Kitchen and enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne for up to four diners. For instance, Chelsea’s Tom’s Kitchen serves a Spicy Devonshire Crab Cake with quinoa and salsa for £11. See here for details. Download free app below and follow steps to join Club.

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