Clodagh McKenna's fresh crab cakes with smoked paprika aioli

This week, our chef Clodagh McKenna prepares a light fish dish inspired by the wild Irish coast

Last weekend I was in west Cork, Ireland , which apart from being one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit is also one of the most exciting food hubs in Europe.

Each village has a bustling farmers’ market with incredible local produce. On Sunday I headed to Schull to visit my friends the Fergusons, who have a farm called Gubbeen, where they produce milk, cheese, bacon and charcuterie.

After a catch-up, we headed to the pub in the village for lunch. I ordered the crab salad — the most delicious crab I’ve eaten in years, caught from the sea that morning: sweet delicate flakes of fresh meat with flat leaf parsley, lemon and crème fraîche.

One of my favourite suppers to prepare with fresh crab is these cakes. I like to use about a quarter of dark meat in my crab cakes as it adds sweetness. I use fresh breadcrumbs (not dried!) to bind my crab cakes together. Even though I am from potato land (Ireland) I don’t like potato in my crab cake as the flavour of crab is so delicate that it tends to get lost under the potato. The smoked paprika aioli is gorgeous, as it adds a kick of heat and texture to the overall bite. I serve the whole thing up with a big leafy salad.

Crab cakes with smoked paprika aioli

Serves: 4 (two cakes each)

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Serve with: Mud House Sauvignon Blanc (£9.25, Tesco)

Crab cakes

Ingredients

  • 800g crab meat, cooked (I use a third brown meat and two-thirds white meat) 
  • 4 slices of stale white bread, made into rough breadcrumbs
  • 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest 
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

Method

1. Place all the ingredients, except the rapeseed oil, in a bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and form the mixture into eight round patties.

2. Place a frying pan or skillet pan over a medium heat and add the rapeseed oil, and leave to heat for one minute. Then cook the crab cakes for three minutes on each side — they should be golden in colour. Serve with smoked paprika aioli.

Smoked paprika aioli

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard 
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika 
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil 
  • 100ml vegetable oil 
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Crack three egg yolks into a bowl, followed by a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.

2. Measure out 100ml of vegetable oil and 100ml of extra virgin olive oil and whisk into the egg yolks slowly. The aioli will begin to form a thick liquid. Finally, whisk in the smoked paprika and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Follow Clodagh on Instagram @clodagh_mckenna

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