Vegetarian Crab Cakes with a Zesty Lemon-Dill Sauce

Vegetarians and landlocked foodies alike will appreciate this clever alternative to a summertime favorite. No crustaceans were harmed in the making of these zesty “crab” cakes, but a few zucchini were shredded and breaded to bring us the next best thing to the seashore staple.

Fresh zucchini give these patties their tender crab-like consistency, while a creamy lemon-dill sauce takes this warm weather dish to a whole new level. If you ask us, this recipe is the real catch of the day.

Ingredients:

For No-Crab Cakes:

1 large zucchini, julienned

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup yellow onion, minced

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons Earth Balance, melted

1 teaspoon Old Bay or other seafood seasoning

For Lemon- Dill Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise or Veganaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons fresh dill

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Directions:

In a bowl combine zucchini, egg, Earth Balance. Mix in bread crumbs and seasoning until well combined. To form the cakes you’ll have to get your hands dirty anyway, so you might as well dive right in and use your mitts to mix as well!

Form the patties using about 3/4 to 1 cup of the zucchini mixture; lightly coat with flour.

In a medium skillet heat vegetable oil until just hot enough to brown a small spoonful of batter. Fry cakes on all sides until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and let dry on a layer or two of paper towels.

Meanwhile, prepare the lemon-dill sauce by combining all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl. Stir well and refrigerate until chilled and sauce has begun to thicken, about 45 minutes. Pour chilled sauce over fresh, warm “crab” cakes and serve immediately.

Serves

6