Crab Cakes With Pasilla Chili Aioli

1/2 lb Shelled cooked crab
1/2 c Mayonnaise
1/2 c Minced carrots
1/2 c Minced celery
1 1/2 ts Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
2 White bread slices
1 tb Salad oil
Fresh cilantro sprigs

1. Mix crab, mayonnaise, carrots, celery, and lemon juice. Add salt
and pepper and cayenne to taste.
2. Tear bread into chunks; whirl in a blender or food processor until
crumbs form; mound crumbs on a plate. Drop 1/4-cup portions crab
mixture into crumbs, and sprinkle crumbs over top; pat into
1/2″-thick cakes.
3. Place a 10-12″ nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly coat
pan with oil and cook cakes, using a wide spatula to turn once, until
browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total.
4. Place cakes on salad plates; keep warm. Garnish with cilantro. Add
aioli to taste.

*** PASILLA CHILI AIOLI ***
1. Remove and discard stems and seeds from dried pasilla; rinse
chili. With scissors, cut the chili in 1/2″ pieces.
2. Drain pimientos; pat dry.
3. In a 10-12″ frying pan combine olive oil, chili, pimientos and
garlic. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add wine and lemon
juice. Stir over high heat until most of the liquid evaporates, about
1 minute. Add chicken broth; boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced
to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
4. Whirl mixture in a blender or food processor with mayonnaise until
smoothly pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1/2 cup.

~ Anton Brunbauer, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ

Yields
8 Servings