Crab Cakes with Avocado and Creamy Asian Sauce (Crystal)

1 pound jumbo lump crab meat (450 g)

1 cup milk (240 ml)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

4 ounces shrimp, peeled, de-veined and tails removed (125 g)

1/4 cup heavy cream (60 ml)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (10 ml)

1/2 teaspoon five spice (2 ml)

1/2 cup cornstarch (56 g)

1/2 cup All-Purpose flour (60 g)

3 egg whites, whisked

2 cup panko breadcrumbs (400 g)

Canola oil

1/4 cup mayo (60 ml)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup (15 ml, plus 5 ml)

1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil (1 ml)

1 teaspoon honey (5 ml)

1/2 teaspoon garlic puree (2 ml)

1 teaspoon lemon juice (5 ml)

Place crab meat and milk in medium sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, taste for seasoning. Place sauce in fridge.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion, pinch salt, and a little pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened (about 5-7 minutes). Remove pan from heat and place vegetables in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Rinse out pan and wipe clean.

Strain crab meat through fine-mesh strainer, pressing to remove milk, please be careful not to break up big lumps of crab meat.

Place shrimp in food processor and blend until finely ground, use a spatula scraping down bowl as needed. Add heavy cream and pulse to combine. Transfer shrimp puree to bowl with cooled vegetables. Add mustard, and five spice powder; stir until well combined. Add strained crab meat and fold gently with rubber spatula, being careful not to over mix and break up lumps of crab meat. Divide mixture into 4 balls and firmly press into patties. Place cakes on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Combine cornstarch and flour in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Using another bowl, lightly beat egg whites. Set aside. In a third bowl, add panko breadcrumbs.

Dredge one crab cake at a time in the flour, turning to coat and shaking off excess. Next, dip into the egg white, again making sure to coat completely and allowing the excess to drop back into the bowl. Then, coat with breadcrumbs, patting firmly so breadcrumbs adhere, but be careful not to coat too thickly. Place coated crab cakes on piece of parchment paper or a large baking sheet.

Add enough oil to coat bottom of empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 4 crab cakes in skillet and cook without moving them until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully flip cakes. Add 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. You are looking for an internal temperature 155°F (68°C).