Well here in Brisbane it is starting to get warmer. Windows are open at night, winter woolies have been packed away and before long it will be time to once again hear the creaking sound of a ceiling fan on high during those long and sleepless nights.

Now while the sweaty and sleepless nights don’t appeal, I am looking forward to summer foods, seafood, fruit, salad. Anything cold and refreshing.

This is another fantastic dish from my favourite cook book, Jamie Oliver’s, Jamie’s America. These little babies are fresh, light and full of flavour and on a bed of chilled and lightly spiced salsa this is a great summers night entree or a bit bigger with a side salad makes a perfect light lunch.

Jamie’s America by Jamie Oliver
Serves 4

1 cup bread crumbs
100g plain flour
2 eggs
300g picked crab meat
1 medium chilli, finely chopped
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt
Pepper
Lemon wedges for serving

Salsa
4 ripe tomatoes, deseeded
1 birdseye chilli, deseeded
1/4 red onion
Salt
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
4 mint leaves, finely chopped

Get 3 plates and put the flour in one, and the breadcrumbs on another. Separate the egg whites putting your egg whites, giving them a bit of a whisk, and on the third plate and the yolks in a separate bowl. Add the crabmeat to the egg yolks, then add lemon zest, pinch of salt and pepper, the parsley and chilli and use your hands to scrunch and mix everything together really well. Take a small handful of breadcrumbs off the plate and sprinkle into your crab cake mix, just enough to bind together.

Divide mixture into 4 piles. Take each of the piles and cup it in the palm of your hand and really squeeze and shape it until you’ve got a nice round ball. Squeezing the mixture will also get rid of any excess liquid. Then roll each carefully in the flour, then the egg white, then roll them around the plate of breadcrumbs to get a nice even cover. Once balls are formed and coated in crumb, squish them down very slightly and gently so that they are not so tall and round.

You can cook these right away but I like to sit them in the fridge for an hour or so they set and firm up. While they are chilling you can make your salsa. Place 3 tomatoes, chillies, onion and salt in a food processor and whiz to a fine slurry. Then add finely chopped remaining tomato, vinegar, olive oil and mint. Have a taste  and adjust seasoning if needed. Leave this in the fridge to develop its flavours while you fry off the cakes.

Once the cakes are chilled, heat some oil in a fry pan, enough to come half way up the cakes, over a medium heat. When your oil is hot enough add your crab cakes and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Once cooked drain on paper towel for a few seconds and then serve right away on a bed of the tomato salsa with a wedge of lemon.