Vegan Crab Cakes

I'm about to reveal something that might come as a shock to most of you... I've never eaten a crab cake in my entire life. Yep, never cracked open a lobster either. In fact, I have never tasted shellfish of any kind, ever. I guess I've never eaten what I affectionately deem "scavenger sea creatures" because my vegetarianism began at such a young age; therefore, my parents never introduced them into my dietary repertoire. My kosher-raised father has never been a fan of consuming fish, so my mother rarely made it when I was growing up.

Don't give up on me though.

.Even if I’ve never had a crab cake, that doesn’t mean I can’t start with vegan crab cakes, right? This is a vegan appetizer that meat-eaters won't complain about. It's got great texture and it's full of flavor.The heart of palms is what gives it the crablike texture. Heart of palms is rich in vitamin A and is a great source of fiber. It also corrects levels of blood cholesterol, which, coupled with its low caloric value, makes it is especially recommended for the dietary management of obesity and constipation.

Who says you have to go out to a fancy vegan restaurant to eat this kind of menu item? Make them at home and all will be very impressed, which is great because they are very easy to make and a lot cheaper than shellfish!

Vegan Crab Cakes

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Vegan

Author: Michele Wolfson

Adapted from "http://gothamist.com/2014/08/14/vegan_crab_cakes.php" target="_blank" title="The Gothamist

Ingredients

  • For Crabmeat

  • 1 (14 ounce) can hearts of palm, roughly chopped

  • 1 bunch radishes, grated

  • 1/4 cup celery, small diced

  • 1/4 cup scallions, sliced

  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup vegan mayo

  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

  • 1 cup gluten-free or panko bread crumbs, more if desired

  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

Instructions

  1. For crab cakes

  2. Place the grated radishes and heart of palms in cheesecloth and squeeze out the moisture (if you don't have cheesecloth, just use a clean dish towel). Place that with the celery, scallions, garlic, mayo, dill and old bay seasoning in a large bowl and mix together.

  3. Form mixture into four round patties. In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Old Bay seasoning, stirring to mix. Coat the patties with the breadcrumb mixture and place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes.

  4. Heat about 3 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Carefully place the patties in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side, approximately 2 minutes per side. Watch closely to prevent burning. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

  5. Serve hot, with Garlicky Dill Aoli and lemon wedges on the side.

Garlicky Dill Aoli Dipping Sauce

Recipe Type: Sauce

Cuisine: Vegan

Author: Michele Wolfson

Mostly inspired by http://http://laist.com/2014/06/05/how_to_make_delicious_vegan_crab_ca.php" target=

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and add more salt and pepper to taste. Set in the fridge to keep cool.

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