Crab Cakes with Cilantro-Sour Cream Sauce

1. Put eggs, lemon juice, mayonnaise, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a mixing bowl and mix well. Gently fold in crabmeat and 1/2 of the bread crumbs.

2. Form crabmeat mixture into 8 patties. Coat both sides in remaining bread crumbs. Place patties on waxed paper and freeze for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

4. Prepare the sauce: Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, bell pepper, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper.

5. Heat 1/2 of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Carefully add patties to hot oil in batches. Fry until golden, about 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining patties, adding remaining oil as needed.

6. Transfer patties to a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a patty should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

7. Serve patties with sauce.

Cook's Notes:

For bite-sized hors d'oeuvres, form the crabmeat mixture into sixteen 2-inch patties.

You can use up to 3 cups sour cream in the sauce.

Editor's Notes:

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of breading ingredients. The actual amount of breading consumed will vary.

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.