Name: Chinese Crab Cakes with Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients: 1 pound loaf thinly sliced white bread, crust removed; 3/4 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and cleaned; 3 tablespoon vodka or gin; 1 large egg white; 1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper; 2 ounce fresh pork, minced by hand or in a food processor; (1/4 cup) or substitute 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1/3 cup fresh water chestnuts or jicama, finely chopped; 2 tablespoon cilantro stems or celery leaves, finely chopped; 2 scallions, white part only, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled, grated; 3/4 pound fresh crabmeat; about 2 tablespoons olive oil for dipping; corn oil for deep-frying; Pineapple Salsa (recipe follows)

Chinese Crab Cakes with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

1 pound loaf thinly sliced white bread, crust removed
3/4 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and cleaned
3 tablespoons vodka or gin
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 ounces fresh pork, minced by hand or in a food processor
(1/4 cup) or substitute 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh water chestnuts or jicama, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro stems or celery leaves, finely chopped
2 scallions, white part only, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled, grated
3/4 pound fresh crabmeat
about 2 tablespoons olive oil for dipping
corn oil for deep-frying
Pineapple Salsa (recipe follows)

Instructions

makes 20-30 crab cakes. Preheat oven to 250 degs.F Cut the bread into 1/4 inch dice and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes without turning or until the bread is dry. Do not let the cubes brown. Dry the shrimp well with paper towels, then place in food processor. Add the vodka or gin and puree. Spoon the shrimp puree into a medium bowl, set aside. Lightly beat the egg white with the salt and white pepper in a small bowl. Mix into the shrimp puree. Stir in the pork fat or cream. Add the water chestnuts or jucame, cilantro stems or celery leaves, scallions and gingerroot and mix until throughly combined. Gently fold the crabmeat into the shrimp mixture (The crabmeat should remain lumpy). Have the bread cubes ready in a large bowl on one side of the crabmeat mixture. Place the olive oil in a small bowl on the other side. Oil a tablespoon by dipping it into the olive oil, then scoop up 1 heaping tablespoon of the shrimp-crab mixture and place it on top of the bread cubes. Repeat, placing 5-6 spoonfuls of the crab meat mixture on the bread cubes, spacing them so they do not touch. Use your hands to roll each lump of crabmeat into the cubes,forming a ball as you work. Gently flatten each ball into a small cake, about 2 inches in diameter. Place the crab cakes on a platter or a baking sheet. Pour about 6 inches of oil into a skillet or fryer and heat to 325 degF. Fry the crab cakes in batches until they are golden, turning once, for 3-4 minutes on each side. Do not crowd. Remove the crab cakes with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve with Pineapple Salsa. PINEAPPLE SALSA makes about 3 cups salsa 1 cup fresh pineapple, preferably very ripe, coarsely chopped 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped 1/4 cup red onion, coarsely chopped 1 jalapeno pepper,cored, seeded and finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup bottled Bloody Mary Mix 1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt freshly fround pepper juice of 1 lime Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and allow to stand for 1 hour before serving. This salsa can be refridgerated, covered, for up to 1 week.