Recipe: Smoky Chipotle Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli

We added the Smoky Chipotle zing to some plain crab cakes to make them extra special! If you like crab cakes you'll love these with the addition of a snappy chipotle aioli.

Ingredients:
Aioli
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peppers packed in jar
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles

Crab Cakes
1 cup Masa Harina (corn flour)
12 ounces crab meat
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Chipotle Aioli:
Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Crab Cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread Masa Harina on heavy baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Combine crab meat, bell pepper, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice and lemon peel in medium sized bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup toasted Masa Harina. Season to taste with salt. Shape crab mixture into twelve 2 1/2-inch-diameter patties, using scant 1/3 cup mixture for each. Place remaining Masa Harina in shallow dish. Add crab cakes 1 at a time, turning to coat. Transfer to baking sheet. (Can be prepared in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes in small batches and cook until browned and heated through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Serve with aioli.