Lion’s Mane ‘crab cakes’ with chipotle mayo and grilled corn relish

This ‘crab’ cake adapted from Forager Chef’s stellar recipe is so versatile it would be a great vehicle for a variety of different toppings or preparations.  These are a couple of my favorite ways to enjoy them.

Makes 4-6 burger sized cakes or about 11 mini cakes

Ingredients

Mushrooms

1 lb Lions mane or other Hericium mushrooms like Comb’s tooth

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

Crab cake mix

¼ cup minced scallion

¼ cup minced red bell pepper

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup high fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped herbs like cilantro, tarragon, or Italian parsley

1 tablespoon worcesterchire, mushroom ketchup, or similar

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or a mix of paprika, cayenne, and celery salt can be substituted

1 large egg

Kosher salt to taste

Chipotle Mayo

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 chipotle Chile in adobo, seeded and minced

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon (or more to taste) Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper

And…

All purpose flour for dredging

Flavorless oil for cooking the cakes

Instructions

Wilt the mushrooms and remove the water

Pick the lions mane mushrooms into pieces to resemble crab meat. Put the mushrooms in a pan with the water and salt, cover and bring to a simmer, stir, cover, and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms are wilted and have given up their juice.

Allow the mushrooms to cool, then squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. This step is important as mushrooms, unlike crab, contain lots of water.

Mix with the crab cake mix

Combine the mushrooms with the cake ingredients and mix well. Taste a bit of the mixture (you can cook it if raw egg weirds you out) adjust the seasoning for salt and anything else you’re looking for, then allow the crab cake mix to rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to hydrate, which will make forming the cakes easier. In a perfect world, you’ll let it sit overnight.

Make the chipotle mayo

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chipotle, lemon juice, Old Bay, and mustard.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Cover and refrigerate. Can be made a day ahead, stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.

Cook

To cook the cakes, form 4 oz patties of the mixture (it will be delicate, don’t worry—the egg will set as they cook). For the most refined look, form the cakes using a ring mold.  Make smaller appetizer patties if desired.

Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of oil.

Heat an oven to 350F. Meanwhile, gently dredge the cakes in flour on both sides, tap off the excess, and brown gently on medium heat. When one side of the cakes are golden brown, gently flip the cakes and transfer the pan to the oven and cook until hot throughout, about 10 minutes.

Assemble

Serve with a fresh green salad on the side with the aioli artfully dotting the plate for a fancy lunch or light dinner option, or try on your favorite bread or roll as a gourmet sandwich- topped with a healthy dollop of the chipotle mayo then piled high with local greens dressed lightly in oil and balsamic.  Or as a nice appetizer option for your next gathering take it a step further and  top your crab cakes with grilled corn salsa -recipe below.

Grilled corn relish

Ingredients

3 ears corn, husked

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 jalapeño

1 medium red pepper

6 green onions

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon lime zest

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Light and preheat the grill.  When up to temperature, Place the corn, red pepper, and jalapeño on the grill and cover. Grill red pepper and jalapeño until they start to blister, but not blacken, on each side. Grill corn until it’s lightly charred all over. Remove pepper, jalapeño, and corn to a cutting board as they are done.

Brush green onions lightly with oil and place on the grill. Cook until softened and lightly browned on both sides. Remove to cutting board.

In a medium bowl, cut kernels off each ear of corn. Seed jalapeño and red pepper, then dice and add into bowl with corn. Thinly slice green onions and add into bowl with corn and peppers along with cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, sugar, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

*if you do not have access to a grill, you can also carefully broil or roast vegetable until they are lightly charred