Corn and Crab Cakes

I think they are pumping something into the air of my building at work. No matter how many hours I sleep during the night, I am always exhausted getting up in the morning. And it isn't just me. I've been doing my investigatory research and found that I'm not the only one that is having this issue. Everyone seems to be drained of their energy these days.

Today I wanted to head home and nap in front of the pool. Unfortunately that did not happen. Instead I ran a few reactions, treated some cells, and updated my CV. Ah, the life of a postdoc.

Let's talk now about these crab cakes. They are summer on a plate (especially if you serve with grilled asparagus as I did). It is essential that you take the time to freeze the cakes after you form them-- this allows you to cook them without crumbling. To tell you the truth, I was really worried before I made this recipe; I wasn't sure I was going to like them. I used canned crab and I was worried it would be tasteless and just okay... But I'm telling you that the resulting product surprised me in a great way! They were delicious! Now I've checked crab cakes off my bucket list and my brain is whirling about flavors to play around with for next time.

Corn and Crab Cakes (adapted from Cooking Light August 2012)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup canned corn, rinsed and drained
1/8 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
4 oz canned crab, shell pieces removed
1 egg white
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp butter

Directions:
Combine the corn, pepper, onions, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, crab, and egg white in a bowl until well blended. Stir in 1/3 cup panko. Divide into 4 equal pieces and form each into 1-inch thick patties. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 20 minutes until firm.

Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add the remaining 1/3 cup panko and cook until toasted while stirring frequently. Remove to a shallow dish and wipe out the skillet.

Coat the crab cakes in the toasted panko. Spray both sides of the cakes with cooking spray.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Serves 2.