Pearl Oyster Bar 'Crab' Cakes with Sweet Corn Ragout

Crab cakes?? you ask. Yes, thanks to another vegan meat company I am trying out: Match Meats. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try their ground pork, beef, or chicken options yet, but their products look quite simply amazing, and I figured their vegan ground crab was a good way to ease into this new world of cooking with 'meat'. You can order the products right from their online store, making it super convenient no matter where you live:

www.matchmeats.com

For this recipe, you need 1 package (1 pound) Match crab. It needs to thaw for 24 hours in the fridge, so keep that in mind!

This dish gets its name from the Pearl Oyster Bar restaurant in New York; the only difference is that my crab isn't real!

In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 2 teaspoons chopped chives, 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (such as the Hot Stuff from the Wizard), 1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce (such as Annie's), 1/4 tsp. pepper, and the equivalent of 2 eggs using egg replacer (such as Ener-G); stir well with a whisk. Note: I omitted the 1/4 tsp. salt called for in the original recipe since Match already has salt added in and I wanted to keep down the overall sodium total.

Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped and seeded plum tomato and 1 pound vegan crab, tossing to combine. Stir in 5 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs, then cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, form 8 patties from the 'crab' mixture. Melt 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance) in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the patties in 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, then add to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes.

Turn the patties over, wrap the handle of the skillet in foil, and bake in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes.

While the 'crab' cakes are in the oven, make the ragout: bring a 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, then add 2 and 3/4 cups fresh corn kernels and 1/4 cup frozen peas; cook for 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and add 1 and 1/2 cups finely chopped and seeded plum tomato, 2 tablespoons chopped basil, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1 tablespoon vegan butter, and 1/8 tsp. black pepper. (Again, I omitted the 1/4 tsp. salt).

Serve 1 crab cake with 1/3 cup ragout for 8 servings of 180 calories each.

I will be honest with my reader that - although this recipe was objectively delicious! - I had a hard time swallowing it down because it really did taste like crab. However, I remember feeling the same way the first time I tried vegan bacon, vegan chicken, vegan beef patties etc., which are all products that I have come to love, so keep your eyes open for more future 'crab' recipes on this website.

Cost:
chives $2.49
plum tomato $1.52
vegan crab $7.50
fresh corn $2.49
frozen green peas $2.99
basil $2.99