Ingredients

2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb white or claw crabmeat, picked free of any bits of shell
1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
1   egg
1 cup bread crumbs
cayenne pepper
1   garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1   green onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter

Lemon Dill Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well.  Refrigerate until chilled.  The sauce will thicken as it chills.

To prepare the crab cakes, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until the pepper is limp, approximately 3 minutes. Add the cream, mustard, 1 egg, parsley, cayenne pepper and 1/2 cup bread crumbs, to taste, and mix well. Gently fold in the crabmeat.

Form the mixture into 8 patties, about 1/2-inch thick. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs with the Parmesan. Pat this topping onto both sides of the patties. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Using a skillet, combine the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Saute the crab cakes in the hot oil-butter mixture for approximately 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. These crab cakes can also be baked for 7 to 10 minutes in a 400 degree F oven.

To serve, spoon a dollop of the lemon dill sauce along side each crab cake.

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen