San Francisco is known for lots of foodie attractions, but one perhaps lesser known Foodie spectacle is the San Francisco crab season.  Crab season, which extends from mid-November to mid-June, highlights Dungeness Crab.  For Michelin One Star restaurant One Market,  crab season also means their annual crab festival. To usher in the beginning of their 19th annual crab festival, One Market Chef Mark Dommen shares with us his adaptation of the classic crab cake with Dungeness Crab Cakes and Saffron Aioli.  Give it a try or check out the many other crab dishes One Market and the rest of the Lark Creek Restaurant Group will be providing during their 19th Annual Crab festival from February 1 to February 29, 2008. 

Dungeness Crab Cakes And Saffron Aioli

Chef Mark Dommen, One Market Restaurant 

Dungeness Crab Cakes

Serves 6

• 2 pounds whole Dungeness crab, or substitute 10-12 ounces of cleaned crabmeat
• 3 ounces fresh scallops
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 4 ounces heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• Sea salt to taste
• Fresh ground white pepper to taste
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup grape seed oil 

1. Crack and clean the whole crab removing all the shells and keeping only the meat.  Place the crabmeat into a mixing bowl and keep refrigerated.  A two-pound crab should yield approximately 10-12 ounces of cleaned crabmeat. 

2. Place the scallops into a blender with the ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of fresh ground white pepper.  Turn on the blender and slowly add the heavy cream in a steady stream.

3. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula, blend the mixture one more time to make sure the scallop mousse is a nice homogeneous mixture.  Set aside.

4. In the mixing bowl with the crab, add the dijon mustard and the cilantro and lightly toss the crab to evenly disperse the ingredients. 

5. Next, add the scallop mousse and again mix lightly as to not break up the crab, but you want the mousse to be evenly mixed throughout the crab.  Taste the mixture and season to taste with sea salt, fresh ground white pepper and a pinch of cayenne.

6. Form the cakes into a free form shape about 1 oz. each and place on a lightly oiled baking dish.  They can be made up to this stage several hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator.

7. Before serving, turn the broiler on high and allow it to heat up.  Lightly brush the tops of the crab cakes with grape seed oil and place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until they begin to lightly brown on the top and are heated through.  Remove from the broiler, and with a spatula place on a serving platter or plate each serving individually.  Serve with a saffron aioli and lightly dressed mixed green and herb salad.   

Saffron Aioli

Serves 6

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
• ½ teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• pinch cayenne
• ½ cup grape seed oil

1.  Place all the ingredients into a blender except the grape seed oil. 

2.  Turn on the blender and slowly add the grape seed oil in a slow steady stream until all the oil is incorporated and you have a nice emulsified mixture. 

3.  Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

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