Easy Does It: Curried Crab Cakes with Mango Avocado Salsa

This recipe first appeared in our July / August 2019 issue of Culinaire courtesy Renée Kohlman.

It’s summertime, and the entertaining is easy - or at least it should be.

There is something quite spectacular about sitting on the patio with your good pals, sipping something cold and refreshing, while a tray of appetizers is being passed around. You may have to swat away a few mosquitoes, but that’s a small price to pay for enjoying summer on the prairies.

My eyes always get rather large when I see a platter of crab cakes served at summer parties. Given the price point of crab, I think to myself that these people must really like me, and then I feel all posh and special. This is the feeling you want your guests to have when they come to your house to hang this summer.

You can, of course, go all out and buy fresh crab if the budget allows, but honestly, I used canned crab meat in this recipe and they turned out great. It’s the add-ins that really make the crab cakes sparkle. Curry paste is the shining star, adding notes of ginger, garlic, rich spices and a bit of heat. I used mild Indian curry paste, but have made them with red curry paste, and even a couple of teaspoons of curry powder. You do curry your way.

Green onions, plucked from the garden and chopped, bright lime zest, lively garlic, creamy mayo, and an egg, round out the rest of the ingredients. Gently combine everything, form into little patties and bread them with buttered panko crumbs.

And here is the best part. These tasty seafood snacks can be prepped up to one day ahead. When you’re ready, just turn on the oven and bake until they are golden and crispy. No frying and flipping allowed!

Crab cakes are excellent on their own - crispy on the outside, tender and mildly spicy on the inside - but they are made even better when paired with bright, fresh flavours. Enter the mango avocado salsa, which can be easily prepared before guests arrive. The salsa is sweet and spicy and just what every crab cake needs.

If you find cilantro appalling, then substitute fresh basil and/or mint. If you’d rather use fresh peaches instead of mango, I give you a high-five. If you want to serve the salsa on top of grilled fish or chicken, then I give you a standing ovation.

It’s so good, you’ll want this salsa in your life, some way, somehow. Dollop some on top of the crab cakes and you have a great little appetizer, which your guest will devour in seconds. And yes, they’ll feel all posh and special because you served them crab.

If it’s just you and your significant other eating the crab cakes, they are quite wonderful when served alongside a nice green salad for a perfectly delicious light supper. A poached egg, nestled on top of the crab cake, with a little Hollandaise drizzled on top is also an excellent brunch option. Oh the possibilities!