Estate Dinners
Crab Cake Burgers with Coleslaw and Chili-Spiced Tartar Sauce
The Strategy:
Craft these exquisite crabmeat patties ahead of time, allowing you to effortlessly pan-sear them to a beautiful golden crispness just as guests arrive. Experience the perfect harmony of sweet, flaky crab and vibrant seasonings, offering an unexpectedly elegant yet satisfying counterpoint to traditional burgers. Serve these culinary gems on toasted brioche with a bright, zesty aioli and fresh greens, transforming your table into a gourmet delight.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds lump crabmeat
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 3 to 4 green onions, thinly sliced, about ½ cup
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, about 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 eggs
- juice of ½ lemon, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, about 2 tablespoons
- juice of ½ lemon, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- ½ small head white cabbage, shredded, about 4 cups
- ½ small head red cabbage, shredded, about 4 cups
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Use the fine shred blade on your food processor to shred the cabbages and carrots. Place these into a large bowl. Alternatively, you can shred the veggies using a box grater or mandoline.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, and mustard. Whisk in the honey, vinegar, and celery salt, and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour this dressing over the shredded veggies and toss to coat. The longer the veggies sit in the sauce, the softer they become. Slaw gets better and better as it sits in the fridge, so you can easily make it in advance.
- Crumble the crabmeat into a bowl, checking to make sure there are no shells. Add 1 cup of the breadcrumbs, ½ cup green onions, jalapeño, and parsley into the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and cayenne pepper, and season with salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the crabmeat. Use your hands to gently combine everything together. You want to keep as many chunks of the crabmeat as you can.
- Spread 1 cup of the remaining breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet. Form the crab mixture into 6 round cakes. Place these onto the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs overtop and around the cakes to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and longer if you want.
- To make the tartar sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, pickle relish, 2 tablespoons green onion, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, capers, parsley, and chives in a bowl.
- Coat the bottom of a skillet with a good amount of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Place 2 to 3 cakes into the oil (depending on the size of the skillet). Cook until golden on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the cakes and cook until golden on the second side, about 3 to 4 minutes more. The outside of the crab cake should be crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the cakes are cooked.
- Slather a heaping spoonful of sauce onto the bottom of each burger bun. Place a crab cake on top of the sauce. Heap a mound of coleslaw on top of the crab cake. (Here you can add another spoonful of sauce if you dare!) Crown this seafood burger with the top of the bun and stretch your mouth around that first bite.
The full recipe lives in the Vault
Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.
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The Heart of the Table
There is a quiet elegance in taking a beloved, traditional dish—like the classic crab cake—and reimagining it in a relaxed, communal format. Serving crab cakes as towering burgers invites a sense of joyful, messy indulgence that immediately breaks down any stiffness at a dinner party. It is a wonderful way to offer guests a truly luxurious ingredient in a familiar, comforting way, creating an atmosphere where connection feels effortless and the simple act of sharing a meal becomes deeply memorable.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: These burgers are tall and beautifully messy. Serve them open-faced or lightly crowned with the top bun, leaning against a large mound of the vibrant purple and green coleslaw. Offer extra chili-spiced tartar sauce in individual ramekins. A side of perfectly crisp, thinly sliced Old Bay seasoned potato chips adds an incredible textural snap to the plate.
- THE POUR: A crisp, mineral-driven Chablis or a dry, aromatic Albariño. The bright acidity and subtle salinity of these wines will perfectly cut through the rich mayonnaise-based sauces and beautifully highlight the delicate sweetness of the lump crabmeat.
- THE VIBE: Sophisticated coastal charm. This is the ideal centerpiece for a breezy, late-summer evening dinner under the stars, blending the luxury of fresh seafood with the deep comfort of a classic backyard cookout.
