Dungeness Crab Cake on Vegetable Slaw with Mustard Vinaigrette and Tarragon Aioli

Dungeness Crab Cake—use basic recipe

Mustard Vinaigrette

¼ C Champagne vinegar
1 t honey
1½ T Dijon mustard
1T minced shallot
1 t  minced fresh thyme
2/3 C extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine the Champagne vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, shallot, and thyme in a bowl.  In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Tarragon Aioli

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg yolk
1½  T  lemon juice
1 bunch tarragon, rinsed, patted dry, and leaves picked
½ C olive oil
salt, to taste
ground white pepper, to taste

Combine in a food processor the garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice, and tarragon leaves.  Process until smooth.  With the processor running, add half the olive oil drop by drop and the rest in a slow, steady stream.  Salt and white pepper, to taste.  Refrigerate.

To Serve

4C slaw (shredded red and green cabbage, napa cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, green onion and/or any other vegetable you would like)
olive oil for sautéing

Sauté the Crab Cakes over medium heat in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.  Remove to absorbent towels.  Toss the slaw with the Mustard Vinaigrette.  Divide the dressed slaw between eight plates.  Place a Crab Cake on top of the slaw.  Drizzle the Tarragon Aioli on to the plate around the slaw.

Suggested plate garnishes:  fried shoestring potatoes or potato chips or toasted pine nuts.

Wine pairing:  Aioli, a garlicky mayonnaise, is rich and full-bodied.  Although this is the same basic Crab Cake recipe, the sauce calls for a different wine match.  A lightly oaked, crisp Chardonnay like Sutter Home will offer a nice balance to the richness of the aioli and the crab.