A winning crab cake: Make it all about the crab

Crab season is well underway, and if you’re not up for picking at a few dozen and getting Old Bay Seasoning under your fingernails, picking up a pound of cooked Maryland jumbo-lump will satisfy.

I’m partial to crab cakes, and bow in the direction of those who continue to raise the bar with ways that highlight the main ingredient’s simple, natural sweetness.

So here’s to Matt Adler, executive chef at Osteria Morini on the waterfront in Southeast Washington, who took home top honors at Sunday’s 11th annual crab cake competition held at The Source downtown. He had participated a few years back, turning in a deep-fried cake with lardo that did not make the cut. This time around, he did “a little research” on what constitutes Maryland-style crab cakes — mayonnaise and mustard being key components — and swapped in a garlic aioli and a whole-grain mustard. For something bright, he added a touch of orange zest.

The result is all about the crab, and seems just right for a summer weekend’s breakfast (with poached eggs), lunch (with a salad) or dinner (as a starter or main course). His recipe below makes a lot more aioli than you’ll need to form the crab cakes, but I’m betting you can find ways to use it or share it with the neighbors within a week’s time.

 Matt Adler’s Crab Cakes With Garlic Aioli

7 servings (makes fourteen 2 1/2-ounce cakes), Healthy

During the competition, the chef served these crab cakes with a celery-root-and-ramp slaw. He recommends making slider crab cake sandwiches with the aioli and pickled chilies.

Using a kitchen scale to weigh each cake as you shape them helps keep them the same size, which, in turn, helps them cook more evenly.

MAKE AHEAD: The oil for the aioli is garlic-infused; it needs an overnight (at room temperature). The crab cake mixture needs to rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour before using. You’ll have a lot of leftover aioli, which can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, plastic wrap placed directly on the surface, in a sealed container. (Think of it this way: You’ll be able to make more crab cakes.)

Adapted from Matt Adler, executive chef at Osteria Morini in Washington.

• For the aioli

4 cloves garlic

4 cups canola oil

3 large egg yolks

6 to 8 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon good-quality red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch ground cayenne pepper

• For the crab cakes

1 pound jumbo lump Maryland crabmeat, picked over to remove cartilage (preferably not pasteurized)

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Finely grated orange zest (2 swipes with a Microplane zester)

3/4 cup plain panko (breadcrumbs), plus 1/2 cup for coating

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the aioli: Smash the garlic cloves and place them in a glass bowl; add the oil, cover and let sit for 8 hours or up to overnight at room temperature.

Combine the egg yolks, 4 tablespoons of the water, the vinegar, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper in a food processor; puree until smooth and well blended.

Discard the garlic in the oil; with the motor running, gradually stream in the oil to form a thick aioli. Add some or all of the remaining water to achieve the desired consistency. The yield is 4 2/3 cups. You’ll need 2/3 cup to make the crab cakes; transfer the rest to a container, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the aioli, cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use (and up to 1 week).

For the crab cakes: Gently combine the crabmeat and the 2/3 cup of aioli in a mixing bowl. Add the mustard, orange zest and panko, then season lightly with salt. Stir gently, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Form the crab cake mixture into 14 cakes of equal size. Place a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven.

Heat the oil and butter in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of panko on a plate.

Meanwhile, uncover the crab cakes. Working in batches, dust the crab cakes’ tops and bottoms with the panko, pressing just so the crumbs adhere, then place them in the skillet. Fry for a few minutes on each side, just until crispy brown on the exterior and warmed through. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven and repeat to fry the remaining crab cakes.

Serve warm, with dollops of aioli.

Per serving: 290 calories, 13 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar