Making My Mouth Water Mango Crab Cakes and Fruit Salsa

Ok, so this is one of my specialties, and I have to admit I do it without measurements or recipes so every time it comes out different--excellent for sure, but different. This is definitely a summer dish. It takes more time and love than you will have available when school is in.

Yield: Not quite sure. Let's just say a lot.

Ingredients:

Fruit Salsa:

1 large red onion, diced

2 large jalapeno peppers (or 1 serrano pepper)

1 large tomato, diced

2 Mangoes, peeled and diced

2 oranges, supremed (make sure to reserve the core)

see: http://veganyumyum.com/2007/01/making-pretty-orange-segments

3 kiwis, peeled and diced

some Strawberries, sliced

1 lime

1 1/2 cups of cilantro

1 -2 table spoons freshly roasted and ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Mango Crab Cakes

3-4 stalks celery

4 shallots

1 baguette (for bread crumbs)

1 lb. real crab meat (seriously, it makes an absurd difference)

1/4 lb. shrimp

3/4 cup, cilantro

1 egg

some spicy mustard

some mayonnaise

some cajun seasoning

some paprika

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 lime

some dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter

some olive oil

some flour (for dredging)

salt

Directions:

1) Make fruit salsa. Chop, dice, supreme everything except the lime. Squeeze what is left of the orange over the mixture. Juice lime and add it in too, just for good measure. Add small amount of salt and roasted pepper. Mix it together and let it all get to know each other in the refrigerator for a few hours.

2) Make bread crumbs. Slice and dice the bread. Place in oven at 350 for about 10-15 min. You want it dry and hard. After they come out put in food processor until, well, you have crumbs.

3) Make Crab cakes.

a) Peel and devein shrimp. Cook in butter and lime juice (you should probably just throw the lime in as well after you get the juice. Set aside to cool.

b) Sort through crab meat for small parts of shell. Depending on the quality of the crab meat you will have to do more or less of this. Place crab meat in large mixing bowl.

c) Place shallots, celery, and cilantro in food processor, blend till really small. You could do this by hand, but make sure to dice super small. Well, you should probably just use the processor. Mix with crab meat.

d) Dice shrimp. Add it in with growing crab mixture.

e) Add egg, mayonnaise, mustard, white wine. This is the hardest and most important part. You want to make sure that the mixture is not to dry and not too wet. So use small amounts at first--you can always add, but never subtract in cooking. Start with the egg, its the easiest part. Next add the Mayo and Mustard. The ratio should be between 1 1/2 parts mustard to 3 parts mayo. Start with table spoons. Finally add a dash or so of white wine, take some for yourself too.

f) Add the thyme, paprika, cajun seasoning, salt (very little). Don't get crazy, a little goes a long way.

g) Dry it out with bread crumbs. Again, start with a small amount. Keep adding until you are able to form cakes that easily maintain their integrity.

h) Dredge the cakes in flour and fry in large skillet on medium heat with olive oil, until brown on both sides.

i) Place browned cakes in oven (still preheated from the bread crumbs) for about 15-20 minutes.

j) Serve with fruit salsa on top (on the side not optional).