White Bean Crab Cakes

(Serves 4 – 6 )
1 c. onion, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 lb. white beans, cooked and drained*
1/2 lb. crab meat*
2 green onions, green parts only and sliced
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. parsley, minced
3/4 tsp. stone ground mustard
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 1/2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1. Saute the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil or water over medium low heat until the vegetables are tender.

2. Mix the vegetables and all other ingredients in a large bowl. Some of the beans will fall apart when you do this, and that’s just what you want. If you’re using canned beans, give half of them a spin in the food processor before adding them in.

3. Form the mixture into small cakes, approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. You can either pan-fry them with a little olive oil and a medium-hot skillet or bake in the oven at 350 F until they are golden. I prefer the texture of the pan-fried cakes, but the oven baked cakes hold together better.

4. Serve the cakes with tartar sauce, or Savory Peach and Corn Salad below.

5. Crab cakes can be cooked and frozen for later meals and/or lunches.

*Can't afford Crab? Use all White Beans and it will still come out perfectly!  Make sure the crab is real crab and not mixed with wheat meat.

Savory Peach & Corn Salad

3 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 ripe peach, diced
1/8 c. celery, diced
1/8 c. pecans, minced
1/2 red bell pepper (can substitute green pepper)
mayonnaise to taste
red wine vinegar, to taste
parsley, minced , to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill for 30 minutes, if you can wait that long.

P.S. Sorry to be vague with some of the amounts. Sometimes I like a little bit of mayo and vinegar and sometimes I want more. I’d suggest starting with a small amount of mayo and then gradually working up to the amount you want. Then start with the vinegar and parsley and do the same.

P.P.S. To choose a ripe peach, hold the peach near your nose and sniff. If you smell peachy goodnes, then it’s ripe. If not, put it back and keep looking.