The Dutch Senior Chef de Cuisine Levi Raines makes Crab Cake Benedict

Ingredients:

For the crab cakes:

24 oz jumbo lump crab meat

⅓ cup white onion, diced small

⅓ cup celery, diced small

¼ cup mayonnaise

1½ tbsp smooth dijon mustard

1 tsp tabasco

2 tsp cajun seasoning 2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs 1 tbsp butter

For the Creole hollandaise sauce: 2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

½ shallot, thinly sliced 1 sprig tarragon

1 pc star anise

1 tbsp lemon juice 3 egg yolks

1½ cup butter, melted

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp cajun seasoning

1 tbsp whole grain mustard

8 whole eggs

1 tbsp white vinegar 4 english muffins

2 tbsp chives, thinly sliced

2 tsp cajun spice or Old Bay

3 tsp vegetable oil

Method:

To prepare the crab cakes:

In a sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and sweat the diced onion and celery until translucent. Set aside to cool. Next, carefully clean the crab meat to ensure that there are no shells left behind. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the cooled onion and celery with the remaining ingredients, leaving out the crab. Gently add in the crab meat, carefully folding it into the mixture so as to not overwork the crab meat. Using a 3-4 oz ice cream scoop, portion out the crab cake mixture and shape the cakes to be the same width as your english muffins. Cover and chill until ready to cook.

To make the creole hollandaise:

In a small saucepan, add the white wine, white wine vinegar, shallot, tarragon and star anise. Cook over medium heat until reduced to ⅓ of the original volume (about 1 tablespoon). Strain the vinegar reduction into a small bowl, pressing out the juice from the shallots. In a medium mixing bowl over a double boiler, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice and vinegar reduction. Continue whisking vigorously over low heat until the eggs lighten in color and double in volume. Remove the mixing bowl from heat and slowly pour a stream of melted butter into the egg mixture, whisking continuously to create an emulsion. The emulsion should be thick enough to coat a spoon and form ribbons when poured. Stir in seasonings and mustard, then cover and keep in a warm place until ready to serve.

To poach your eggs:

Bring a small pot of water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar to a simmer. Crack each egg into a small bowl and set aside. With a spoon, begin stirring the boiling water in a large, circular motion. When the water is swirling like a tornado, gently add the eggs one at a time. The swirling water will help the egg white wrap around itself as it cooks. Poach each egg for 3-4 minutes until the egg whites are firm but the yolk is still soft when pressed. Transfer from the pot with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel lined plate. If preparing ahead of time, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

In a nonstick pan over medium heat, sear the crab cakes in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and warm in the center. While the crab cakes are cooking, carefully split the english muffins in half using a fork and lightly toast. Plate your english muffins and top with a crab cake and a warm poached egg. Gently spoon 2-3 tablespoons of creole hollandaise over each egg and garnish with sliced chives and a light dusting of Old Bay or cajun seasoning.

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