Most crab cakes are made of breadcrumbs and crab-flavored mayonnaise. And while I agree that mayonnaise is damn good, I just wish it wasn’t so fattening. By broiling instead of pan frying, and using low-fat mayo with some green veggies, this very lean version of crab cakes is a new kind of good.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　Nonstick cooking spray

　　1/2 cup frozen peas

　　9 ounces fresh crabmeat or high-quality canned crabmeat, such as Culinary Reserve

　　Grated zest of 1 lemon

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Rocco’s Magnificent Mayonnaise (page 200) or store-bought reduced-fat mayonnaise, such as Hellman’s Low-Fat Mayonnaise Dressing

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

　　1/4 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian’s All-Natural

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　One 4-ounce jar pimientos, with their liquid

　　4 ounces (about 7 cups) baby arugula

　　

Step 1

Preheat the broiler on low. Spray a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray and set it aside.

　　

Step 2

Place the peas in a small microwave-safe bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until tender, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly.

　　

Step 3

In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, chives, peas, and panko. Season the crab mixture with salt and pepper to taste, and mix thoroughly. Using your hands, form the mixture into 4 equal cakes.

　　

Step 4

Place the crab cakes on the prepared baking sheet. Broil the crab cakes until they are deep golden brown and hot throughout, about 6 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Meanwhile, combine the pimientos, their liquid, and the remaining mayonnaise in a blender. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 6

In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with half of the pimiento dressing. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 7

Serve the crab cakes with the remaining pimiento sauce and the arugula salad.

　　

healthy tips

Step 8

Eat more arugula! If you find yourself with an upset stomach, you might find relief in your salad bowl. Recent research suggests that the peppery green helps reduce the stomach-acid secretion that can irritate gastric ulcers.

　　

nutrition information

Step 9

Fat: 94g (before), 4.1g (after)

　　

Step 10

Calories: 1,030 (before), 152 (after)

　　

Step 11

Protein: 16g

　　

Step 12

Carbohydrates: 12g

　　

Step 13

Cholesterol: 41mg

　　

Step 14

Fiber: 2g

　　

Step 15

Sodium: 1,096mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.