Mini Crab Cakes

Jeff and I were invited over to a friend's house for a wine tasting party last night and everyone was asked to bring a bottle of wine and an appetizer to share.  I've been dying to try these mini crab cakes, ever since I'd found the recipe, so I knew right away that it's what I'd make.  I also felt that they'd go perfectly with the occasion!

When the buzzer went off and it was time to remove the mini crab cakes from the oven, they looked absolutely mouthwatering.  I couldn't wait to try one, although I did.  Another great thing about this recipe (in addition to them looking, in my opinion, elegant), is that they were very quick and easy to make.  This worked out perfectly for me because I was pretty short on time, due to a 5K I had run that afternoon.  The crab filling can actually be made a day ahead of time and stored in a covered bowl, in the refrigerator.  This was definitely a step I full took advantage of, and am glad I did. 

These little crab cakes were absolutely delicious and will most likely become a holiday appetizer in the very near future.

Mini Crab Cakes
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Makes 24

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp. lemon zest
3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives, divided
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
8 oz. fresh lump crabmeat, patted dry and coarsely chopped
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
Additional fresh chives, for garnish

Directions:

In a small/medium bowl combine the cream cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and the egg.  Beat together with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add in the sour cream, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of chives, salt, and cayenne pepper, then beat again until the mixture looks smooth.  Using a spatula, gently fold in the crab meat.  (This mixture can be made up to a day in advance and kept in the fridge.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 24-well mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, add the Panko breadcrumbs, ½ a cup of Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of minced chives; stir around.  Slowly add in the melted butter and toss with a fork until everything is well coated and moistened.  Place a little bit of the Panko mixture into the bottom of each well of the muffin pan and press down to form a crust.  (I find that the bottom of a shot glass is the perfect size to help accomplish this step.)  Next, place some of the crab mixture on top of each of the crusts.  Lastly, sprinkle a little more of the Panko mixture on top of each crab cake.

Bake until the cakes turn a nice golden color and are set.  This should take around 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Gently run a knife around the edges of each cake and remove them from the pan.  (These can be baked around 2 hours before serving.  Reheat at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, and then serve.)   

Feel free to garnish with fresh chives!

Source: Annie's Eats