Crab Cakes With Pasilla Chili Aioli

1/2 lb Shelled cooked crab

1/2 c Mayonnaise

1/2 c Minced carrots

1/2 c Minced celery

1 1/2 ts Lemon juice

Salt Pepper Cayenne 2 White bread slices

1 tb Salad oil

Fresh cilantro sprigs

PASILLA CHILI AIOLI

1 Large dried pasilla chili

1 cn Sliced pimientos (4 oz)

1 tb Olive oil

1 Chopped garlic clove

3 tb Dry white wine

1 ts Lemon juice

1/4 c Chicken broth

1/4 c Mayonnaise

Salt Pepper 1. Mix crab, mayonnaise, carrots, celery, and lemon juice. Add salt

and pepper and cayenne to taste. 2. Tear bread into chunks; whirl in a blender or food processor until

crumbs form; mound crumbs on a plate. Drop 1/4-cup portions crab mixture into crumbs, and sprinkle crumbs over top; pat into 1/2"-thick cakes.

3. Place a 10-12" nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly coat

pan with oil and cook cakes, using a wide spatula to turn once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total. 4. Place cakes on salad plates; keep warm. Garnish with cilantro. Add

aioli to taste.  *** PASILLA CHILI AIOLI *** 1. Remove and discard stems and seeds from dried pasilla; rinse

chili. With scissors, cut the chili in 1/2" pieces. 2. Drain pimientos; pat dry.

3. In a 10-12" frying pan combine olive oil, chili, pimientos and

garlic. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice. Stir over high heat until most of the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth; boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced

to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Let cool. 4. Whirl mixture in a blender or food processor with mayonnaise until

smoothly pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1/2 cup.  ~ Anton Brunbauer, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ