Panko-crusted Crab Cake Bites with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

Notes: The Japanese-style coarse bread crumbs called panko are available in many well-stocked supermarkets and in Asian grocery stores. You can make the aioli up to 2 days ahead and the crab cakes through step 3 up to 4 hours ahead; in both cases, cover and chill.

Yield: Makes 24 crab cakes; 8 servings

Ingredients

• 12 ounces shelled cooked crab
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup minced fresh chives
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 1/4 cups panko (see notes) or fine dried bread crumbs
• Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli (recipe follows)
• Fresh chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths

Preparation

1. Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell.

2. In a large bowl, combine celery, minced chives, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, and hot sauce; mix well with a fork. Add crab and 1/4 cup panko; stir gently just to mix.

3. Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan.

4. Bake in a 475° regular or convection oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. With a spatula, transfer crab cakes to a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli onto each cake. Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.

Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli. In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Ceviche de Camaron (Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail)

While most of us think of classic ceviche as raw fish marinated in fresh lime juice long enough to give it a cooked texture, in Mexico there are ceviche "cocktails" that combine seafood that's been cooked with fresh vegetables, hot sauce, lime juice and just a little ketchup. It's an easy, refreshing crowd pleaser, and you don't have to track down the just-off-the-boat fresh fish necessary for the classic ceviche. Serve with tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltines.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 6 cups water
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
• 1 pound medium shrimp
• 1 cup chopped peeled cucumber
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons Mexican hot sauce (such as Tamazula)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Place chopped onion in a colander, and rinse with cold water. Drain.

Bring 6 cups water and 1/4 cup juice to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; peel shrimp. Combine shrimp and 1/2 cup juice in a large bowl; cover and chill 1 hour. Stir in onion, cucumber, and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or chilled.