Crab Cakes

Fresh crab is ideal, but quality canned or frozen crab works well too. 1 lb lump crabmeat

1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
4 green onions (including some of the green part), chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups panko, plus 1/2 cup for dredging
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
hot sauce to taste (optional)
vegetable oil for brushing the griddle
lemon wedges for serving

1. Pick through the crab meat to make sure there are no shells or cartilage, being careful not to tear the meat into small pieces. Reserver in refrigerator.

2. In a medium to large bowl, mix the peppers, green onions, garlic, salt, egg, 1 1/2 cups of the panic, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, Dijon, Old Bay and hot sauce (if using). Add the crabmeat and very gently mix all the ingredients together (it is best to do this with clean hands to avoid over-mixing, but you can do it with a spoon if you are careful to keep the crabmeat intact).

3. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 1/4-cup round cakes (no higher than 1/2-inch) and put them on a clean plate, separating the layers with wax paper. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour before cooking (this helps keep the crab cakes together when cooking and melds the flavors).

4. Fit the grill with flat griddle plates and preheat both plates to 400 deg F. Brush the plates with little vegetable oil (this will help to crips and lightly brown the crab cakes).

5. While the unit is preheating, lightly dredge the crab cakes in the remaining panko.

6. When the griddle is hot, cook the crab cakes in batches, approximately 8 minutes per side. Crab cakes should be a deep golden brown on both sides.

7. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, dijon sauce and sweet sauce.