Years ago, I was a judge at the Mendocino Crab and Wine Festival. We tasted 35 Dungeness crab cakes. The winning entry had mostly fresh crab meat morsels with just enough breadcrumbs to bind the crab together. This recipe from Executive Chef Alan Kantor, of MacCallum House in Mendocino, is similar to that one.

Chef Kantor adds scallions, parsley, lemon zest and mustard to bring all the flavors together. A Spanish roasted pepper, garlic and almond sauce compliments the sweetness of the crab cakes. Any leftover sauce can be a dip for vegetables or a finishing sauce on any grilled fish, chicken, or meat.

Dungeness crab, also called West Coast crab, is named after a small town in Washington State, even though it is caught from the waters of the California coast all the way up to Alaska. Compared to other varieties, Dungeness has a naturally sweet, buttery flavor that is well suited for this dish. Fresh Dungeness crab is available from early December through August. Alaskan king crab would work here too. Whatever you do, don’t substitute finely shredded crab or imitation crab (surimi) for this recipe. You need lump crab for this recipe. Crab meat has gone up in price like everything else, so I would make this for a special occasion. Also, you can cut this recipe in half for four people.

These Seriously Simple crab cakes cook best when the mixture is given some time to chill before the cakes are sauteed. Chilling the crab cakes allows the binding to absorb some of the extra moisture so the cakes will hold together well. Serve these crab cakes on their own or with a simple mixed green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette. To drink: Pour a crisp, lively chardonnay with this dish — it will highlight the background citrus flavor.

Mendocino Crispy Crab Cakes with Romesco Sauce

Serves 8

For the Romesco sauce:

(Makes about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers, peeled and seeded (you can use jarred)

3 tablespoons toasted almonds

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