Crab cakes from the Flying Fish Cafe

A spicy ancho chili remoulade tames these buttery crab cakes

These savory crab cakes have been on the menu since Flying Fish Cafe opened on the Disney Boardwalk in 1996.

If you want to serve this dish as a main course, just make them a bit larger and you will  have enough to serve four to six guests.

Disney’s Flying Fish Cafe’s Crab Cakes

Yield: 28 small crab cakes.

6 cups soft fresh bread crumbs, divided

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

1/2 cup each, finely chopped: red onion,

red and green bell peppers, green onions

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 poblano chili seeded, and minced

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 3/4 teaspoons salt or to taste

1 1/4 teaspoons ground pepper or to taste

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour

5 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

Chili remoulade:

2 teaspoons each: ancho chili powder and water

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup each: finely chopped red onion and dill pickles

2 tablespoons each: drained and chopped capers, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped fresh tarragon, snipped fresh chives and lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon each: salt and cayenne pepper or to taste

1. For the chili remoulade, combine chili powder with water and let stand for 10 minutes. Combine chili mixture with mayonnaise, onion, pickles, capers, parsley, tarragon, chives, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover and chill.

2. For cakes, stir 2 cups crumbs, crab, onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, chili, yolks, lemon juice, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper and cayenne pepper.

3. Form 28 crab cakes, using about 2 tablespoons crab mixture for each and shaping to about 11/2 inches in diameter.

4. On plate, stir flour and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. In shallow bowl, with fork, lightly beat eggs. Place remaining bread crumbs on plate. Dip each crab cake into flour, shaking off excess, then into egg, shaking off excess, and finally into bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Place cakes on wire rack.

5. In skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Fry cakes, in batches, cooking 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; keep warm. Add more oil as necessary. Serve with remoulade.