Sauce for Crab Cakes?

[Mark J]

I am very pleased with my crab cakes but I have not found a sauce to go along with them that I really like. Note my cakes are spicy with a cajun spice blend of my own design. Also note we are not big fans of sweet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark J.

 

[mudbug]

Well, Mark, how spicy do you want to go? If the cakes are well-seasoned, you might want a milder sauce to complement the flavor of the crab. Or not.

Give us some more info.

 

[SharonT]

This is my favorite:
Chardonnay Cream Sauce
1 3/4 cups Chardonnay or other dry white wine
1/3 cup chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
Boil wine with garlic and shallots in heavy saucepan until mixture is reduced to ½ cup (about 15 minutes). Add cream and continue to cook until liquid is reduced to sauce consistency (about 10 minutes). Whisk in softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
My second favorite is Sara Moulton's Red Pepper Rémoulade

 

[ironchef]

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/crab-cakes-1587.html?highlight=crab+cake+sauce

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/crab-cake-sauce-2166.html?highlight=crab+cake+sauce

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/crab-cakes-potato-rounds-spicy-aioli-basil-olive-16126.html?highlight=crab+cake+sauce

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f24/substitutes-1909.html?highlight=crab+cake+sauce

 

[marmalady]

If your CCs are really spicy, what about a nice cool sour cream/cucumber sauce to tone them down a bit? You could even add a bit of your Cajun spice to it.

 

[mudbug]

I think I don't care about Sara's sauce. Yours sounds heavenly, Sharon.

 

[Mark J]

You know that is part of my problem, I'm just not sure what I want, I just know I'll know it when I see it.....errr taste it. . I was thinking of a creamy horseradish type sauce but that would probably be a bit over the top. My wife and friends all like our food spicy so my cakes are not for the meek. I have made a few remoulade type sauces that have been ok but not there yet. Heck I really don't know and that has been my problem. I nailed the cakes about 4 months ago but I'm still searching for the sauce. Do you have any general options? Maybe you can help me work it from there. THanks.

Mark J.

 

[jennyema]

What about a remoulade sauce?

 

[Mark J]

Thanks Sharon, your sauce sounds good. I'll give it ago.

Marmalady, your idea also sounds interesting. I love a good taziki (sp?) sauce. Perhaps I will try that one as well.

Thanks to everyone for helping,

Mark J.

 

[SharonT]

I think I don't care about Sara's sauce

Oh, oh. sounds like a grudge

Yours sounds heavenly, Sharon.

Well, I think it is Only thing is, it's never quite as thick as I'd like. Any suggestions?

 

[mudbug]

Nope, I have nothing against Sara.

Making your sauce thicker? I'd say making a roux with your butter and the wine and letting it cook a little before you add all the other stuff.

ironchef will probably correct me, as he is the sauce meister around here,, but that's my two cents.

 

[TATTRAT]

At my restaurant, I use a peach and bell pepper chutney. People love it.

For crabcake sandwiches, basil and keylime aioli.

 

[VeraBlue]

How about a remoulade made with a good quality mayo, some crushed garlic, lemon zest and green onion?

 

[Constance]

Ironchef, thanks for those links. The one with the simple crab cakes and two sauces went into my files.
I'd probably go with a simple coctail sauce, though.

A thought struck me...if the crab cakes are hot and spicy, what about a bleu cheese dip? I make a bleu cheese salad dressing by simply combining the crumbled cheese with Miracle Whip Lite (you could use mayo or sour cream), a shot of Worchester Sauce, and then thin it to the desired consistancy with milk.

 

[Andy M.]

Oh, oh. sounds like a grudge

Well, I think it is Only thing is, it's never quite as thick as I'd like. Any suggestions?

Reduce the wine further before adding the cream.

Reduce the cream more.

Whisk in more than 2 Tb of butter.

 

[SharonT]

I think you're right... I need to be more patient when doing this sauce... Thanks.

 

[Erik]

How about a remoulade made with a good quality mayo, some crushed garlic, lemon zest and green onion?

I second that!!!

 

[ironchef]

Nope, I have nothing against Sara.

Making your sauce thicker? I'd say making a roux with your butter and the wine and letting it cook a little before you add all the other stuff.

ironchef will probably correct me, as he is the sauce meister around here,, but that's my two cents.

Aw c'mon 'Bug. You're hurting what little feelings I have left.

But if you want to use the existing ingredients, Andy more or less nailed it. What thickens a sauce of this type is the relationship between the acid and fat. The problem with Sara's recipe is that if you want a thicker consistency, the wine is not reduced enough which means that there is not a high enough level of acidic concentration to thicken the fat that is being added. I would take the reduction down to at least 4 Tbsp. or 1/4 cup. Then add the cream, and reduce that by half until you get approximately 1/2 cup of liquid. Off the heat, whisk in 6 Tbsp. of very cold, unsalted butter cut into 1" cubes, 1-2 cubes at a time until all of the butter is emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

[Gretchen]

Commander's Palace serves a Crystal beurre blanc with theirs. I like the idea of remoulade also.
Put your crab cakes on a fried green tomato for service. Either of these sauces would really finish it out nicely!

I also had some chimmichurri sauce on a fried green tomato the other day that was surprisingly delicious and so pretty with its intense green on the golden crust.

 

[Steve A]

This conversation came up in another forum. I suggested a chipotle aïoli by finely mincing the chipotle and using some of the accompanying adobo sauce. Combine that to your favorite aïoli recipe.

Ciao,