Mini Crab Cakes

For our Valentine's meal, which featured seared scallops along with Filet Mignon, I wanted an appetizer which would compliment. I thought about crab cakes, but didn't want something that filling. I found this recipe on www.noblepig.com. This recipe came together very quickly and, as an added bonus, the filling can be made up to a day beforehand and refrigerated until you're ready to bake.

I changed a few things such as reducing the amount of chives and using Gruyere cheese instead of Parmesan. Feel free to use either cheese you'd like.

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 t. orange zest
1/2 t. lemon zest
2 T. chopped fresh chives, divided
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
8 oz. lump crab meat, picked over for shells, patted dry, coarsely shredded
1 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 butter, melted
additional chives for garish

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Gruyere and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus zest, 1 T. of chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Gently fold in crab meat.

Spray a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. Toss panko, 3/4 cup Gruyere and 1 T. chives in a bowl. Drizzle melted butter over panko/cheese mixture, tossing with a fork until evenly moistened.  Press 1 rounded tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup. I used a cookie dough measuring scoop. Using your fingers, make a well in each cup to make the crust. Fill each cup with 1 generous tablespoon of the crab mixture. Sprinkle any remaining panko mixture you have over the filled cups.

Bake crab cakes in a 350 degree oven until golden brown on top and set, about 20 minutes. Cool the crab cakes in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently lift each crab cake out of the pan with a fork onto serving platter. Sprinkle the tops with additional chopped chives.