Crab Cakes Benedict with Avocado

Show of hands – who loves brunch? Pretty much everyone, right? Of course, since kids, a leisurely brunch is no later than 9 a.m. but still…who can resist it? We dine out for our fair share of brunches, and probably your fair share too, but we could stand to make it more often at home. Recipes like this one certainly make the case for it. A totally incredible meal AND I got to stay in my PJs and drink bubbles? Done and done. Seeing all that this meal involves – crab cakes, avocado, spicy (fake) hollandaise, and poached eggs – it shouldn’t take much to convince you of its awesome-ness. But, should you need convincing, let me tell you that I made this one weekend with my darling Josie and it was so fabulous, I made it again the very next week.

I suppose the one drawback of this sort of recipe for meshing with that chillax brunch vibe is getting the timing of the crab cakes and the poached eggs to work out just right. But hey, that’s what mimosas are for! Also I highly recommend cooking with a friend. The combination of excellent company plus the benefits of someone helping in the kitchen dampens any anxieties over recipe timing. This may seem fancy but I promise, it’s simpler than you think. You can do it, and you’ll be SO glad you did.

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

For the crab cakes:

1 large egg
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sriracha
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. minced chives
12 oz. lump crabmeat, picked over for shell pieces
1/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
3 tbsp. canola oil

For the sauce:

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sriracha
1 tsp. minced garlic
¼ tsp. kosher salt

For the eggs:

1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. white vinegar
4 large eggs
2 cups baby argula
1 small avocado, sliced
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

01
To make the crab cakes, combine the egg, mayo, mustard, sriracha, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and chives in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add the crabmeat and breadcrumbs to the bowl fold the mixture together gently to avoid breaking up the crab. Form the mixture into four equal cakes, place on a plate, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
02
To make the sauce, combine the mayo, sriracha, garlic and salt. Whisk together until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.
03
To cook the crab cakes, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, gently lay the crab cakes in the oil and fry until golden brown on the bottom side, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip and fry 4 minutes more, or until both sides are nicely browned and the cakes are warmed through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm if needed.
04
To make the poached eggs, fill a deep sauté pan with a lid (I use this pan) with 2-3 inches of water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Bring the water to a boil. While the water is heating, crack eggs into coffee or tea cups (2 eggs each in a cup). When the water has just reached a boil, gently lower the lip of the cup into the water so the eggs tip slowly into the pan. Repeat with the second cup. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for exactly 4 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water with a skimmer or slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess moisture.
05
Divide the arugula between serving plates. Add the sliced avocado. Top each with a crab cake, a poached egg, and a generous dollop of sauce. Season with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Source

crab cakes adapated from Cravings by Chrissy Teigen, poached egg method from America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook