Crab Cakes (mmmmm good!)

CRAB CAKES AND SAUCE

MAKES: 24 crab cakes; 8 servings
12 ounces shelled cooked crab
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/4 cups panko (see notes) or fine dried bread crumbs

Fresh chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1. Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell.
2. In a large bowl, combine celery, minced chives, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, and hot sauce; mix well with a fork. Add crab and 1/4 cup panko; stir gently just to mix.
3. Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan.
4. Bake at 475° until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. With a spatula, transfer crab cakes to a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper–Chive Sauce onto each cake or serve on the side. Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.

*note: these also can be fried in oil.

Roasted Pepper/Chive Sauce:
In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Makes about 1/2 cup.

NOTES: The Japanese-style coarse bread crumbs called panko are available in many well-stocked supermarkets and in Asian grocery stores. You can make the sauce up to 2 days ahead and the crab cakes through step 3 up to 4 hours ahead; in both cases, cover and chill.