Golden crab cakes with lemon caper mayonnaise are topped with crispy capers for a delicious Dracula-inspired recipe! Pair these crab cakes with a Plum Brandy Cherry Sour from our Dracula menu or explore more gothic literary recipes such as our Caramelized Onion Cheese Toast from our Frankenstein feast.
At a Glance: Crab Cakes with Lemon Caper Mayonnaise
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour 20 minutes
- Servings: 10 crab cakes
- Flavour: Crispy and salty, tangy and herbaceous
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Why this Works: Tender crab cakes are fried until golden brown, topped with salty crispy capers and served with a dollop of tangy lemon caper mayonnaise.
Dracula, the Feast
Bram Stoker's Dracula takes us on a gothic journey like no other. The dark and dangerous figure, Count Dracula, ominously lurks in shadowed castles and slips quietly into candlelit bedrooms, revealing the fears and terrors of the story's central characters. To honour this gothic masterpiece, we are following the story through food, starting with a fateful journey into the Carpathian Mountains, terrifying encounters at the misty sea cliffs of Whitby, the drawing rooms of Victorian London, and the final dangerous race back to Transylvania. Each recipe draws on the places and people at the heart of the novel, echoing the themes of light and darkness, innocence and seduction, superstition and science, life and death. We invite you to sink your teeth into these recipes one at a time, at a Halloween gathering, or at your next book club!
Dracula arrives in Whitby
On a cold and stormy night, a mysterious ship sails into Whitby harbour and runs aground. With no one aboard but the body of the captain lashed to the wheel, the mystery of the Demeter only deepens. As the mist closes in around the ghostly ship the only movement comes from an enormous black dog that leaps ashore and disappears into the fog. A few nights later, under a bright full moon, Lucy sleepwalks to the clifftop beneath Whitby Abbey, where a dark figure bends over her…
Lucy and Mina spend their summer days walking the windswept cliffs, and on the very day before that fateful night, they enjoy a hearty tea at an old inn at Robin Hood’s Bay. These crab cakes are just the kind of seaside meal we imagine them sharing, with crab long being part of the local catch along the Yorkshire coast. Seasoned with fresh herbs and lemon, they’re fried until golden and crispy, then topped with a dollop of tangy lemon caper mayonnaise and a sprinkle of crispy fried capers for a salty, briny pop of flavour. One bite and you’ll be transported to Whitby’s mist-cloaked harbour, where a feeling of dread is settling over the town…
If you're looking for more delicious seafood ideas then check out our butter poached lobster on toast or our salted codfish fritters.
Ingredients for Crab Cakes with Lemon Caper Mayonnaise
Crab: If you have access to fresh cooked crab then you will definitely want to use that. However, if that isn't an option then you can use canned crab meat instead. Try to look for chunk crab meat which includes larger pieces as well as the flaked meat. Drain the crab meat before using.
Capers: Native to the Mediterranean, capers are the pickled flower buds of the caper plant. They have a strong briny, salty flavour and are delicious when fried. A splash of the brine adds both a hint of tang and saltiness to the mayonnaise.
Lemon: This recipe uses both the juice and zest of one lemon. The zest is added to the mayonnaise while the juice is added to the crab cakes.
Plain yogurt: I like to add a little plain yogurt to cut the richness of the mayonnaise. You can use sour cream instead.
Panko crumbs: I prefer using Panko crumbs to bind the crab cake mixture as I find it gives a lighter crunch to the overall mixture. You can use regular breadcrumbs instead if you prefer.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Here are a few tips to make and store these crab cakes:
Make ahead: The lemon caper mayonnaise can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. The capers are best served the same day they are made. The crab cakes can be made and shaped several hours before cooking.
Storage: The mayonnaise will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Leftover crab cakes will also keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Leftover fried capers can be stored in the fridge for several days as well, though you may need to reheat them in a dry skillet or in the oven to crisp them up again.
Reheating: Leftover crab cakes can be reheated in the oven. Bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
How to make the Crab Cakes with Lemon Caper Mayonnaise
1. Prep the crab cakes
Drain the crab meat and blot dry with paper towels. Pick through the meat to check for any shells. Transfer the crab meat to a large mixing bowl and set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together until combined.
Pour the egg mixture over the crab meat. Add the chopped dill and chives along with the Panko crumbs. Mix together well. The mixture should be moist enough to cling together when pressed together.
Scoop out about ⅓ cup of the crab cake mixture and shape into a thick, round cake. Press firmly enough that the cake doesn't fall apart but not so hard to compress it. Place on a small baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture. Chill for at least 30 minutes. This will help the crab cakes stick together when frying.
2. Make the sauce
Drain the capers, reserving 1 teaspoon of the brine to add to the mayonnaise. Roughly chop two tablespoons of the capers and add to a small mixing bowl. Spread the remaining whole capers out onto paper towels to dry and set aside.
To the chopped capers add the mayonnaise, plain yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped dill and chives, and pepper. Add the reserved caper brine and whisk together. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Fry the capers
Fill a small saucepan with about 1-inch of vegetable oil. Place over medium high heat. Check that the whole capers are dry, blotting with paper towels as needed to remove any excess liquid. Line a small baking sheet or plate with fresh paper towels and set aside.
When the oil is hot carefully, add the whole capers. Be careful as they can sputter, especially if they are still wet. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to stir the capers as they fry. Continue to cook the capers until they have burst open and are beginning to brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the capers from the oil and spread out on the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with a little kosher salt and let cool. The capers will crisp up as they cool.
4. Fry the crab cakes
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with a rack and set aside. Fill a non-stick skillet with about a ½-inch vegetable oil and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add 5 or 6 crab cakes. Fry the cakes until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip the crab cakes and cook until golden brown on the other side. Transfer the crab cakes to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crab cakes.
Place the crab cakes into the oven and bake until they are fully cooked inside, typically about 6 to 8 minutes. The crab cakes are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
5. Serve the Crab Cakes with Lemon Caper Mayonnaise
Serve the crab cakes with a dollop of the lemon caper mayonnaise and garnish with the crispy capers. Enjoy!
For more Dracula recipes, try our Robber Steak with Garlic and Paprika Cream or our Plum Brandy Cherry Sour.
More Gothic Literary Recipes
- Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Onions
- Cider Brined Roast Chicken
- Buttered Spaetzle
- Roasted Garlic Soup with Cheesy Croutons
- Yorkshire Oatcakes with Honey
- Raspberry Almond Cake
Crab Cakes
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 1 ¼ lb crab meat flaked
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus extra
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup Panko crumbs
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- vegetable oil as needed
- 100 ml capers divided
Lemon Caper Mayonnaise
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Drain the crab meat and blot dry with paper towels. Pick through the meat to check for any shells. Transfer the crab meat to a large mixing bowl and set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together until combined.
- Pour the egg mixture over the crab meat. Add the chopped dill and chives along with the Panko crumbs. Mix together well. The mixture should be moist enough to cling together when pressed together.
- Scoop out about ⅓ cup of the crab cake mixture and shape into a thick, round cake. Press firmly enough that the cake doesn't fall apart but not so hard to compress it. Place on a small baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture. Chill for at least 30 minutes. This will help the crab cakes stick together when frying.
- Drain the capers, reserving 1 teaspoon of the brine to add to the mayonnaise. Roughly chop two tablespoons of the capers and add to a small mixing bowl. Spread the remaining whole capers out onto paper towels to dry and set aside.
- To the chopped capers add the mayonnaise, plain yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped dill and chives, and pepper. Add the reserved caper brine and whisk together. Chill until ready to serve.
- Fill a small saucepan with about 1-inch of vegetable oil. Place over medium high heat. Check that the whole capers are dry, blotting with paper towels as needed to remove any excess liquid. Line a small baking sheet or plate with fresh paper towels and set aside.
- When the oil is hot carefully add the whole capers. Stand back as they can sputter if there is still any liquid on them. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to stir the capers as they fry. Continue to cook the capers until they have burst open and are beginning to brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the capers from the oil and spread out on the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with a little kosher salt and let cool. The capers will crisp up as they cool.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with a rack and set aside. Fill a non-stick skillet with about a ½-inch vegetable oil and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add 5 or 6 crab cakes. Fry the cakes until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip the crab cakes and cook until golden brown on the other side. Transfer the crab cakes to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crab cakes.
- Place the crab cakes into the oven and bake until they are fully cooked inside, typically about 6 to 8 minutes. The crab cakes are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve the crab cakes with a dollop of the lemon caper mayonnaise and garnish with the crispy capers. Enjoy!
