Coconut Crab Cakes with Coconut Basil Mayonnaise

Coconut Crab Cakes with Coconut Basil Mayonnaise. Need I say more? Recipe follows.

Coconut Crab Cakes
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons canola oil (plus a bunch more for frying)
• 1/2 Medium onion, finely diced
• 1 Stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 pound lumb crabmeat
• 1/2 Cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, I chose sweetened)
• 2/3 Cup mayonnaise
• 1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons chives, finely minced
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 5 Cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Large eggs, beaten
• Diced tomatoes, for garnish (whoops, didn't garnish for that pic, did I?)
• Chives for garnish 

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saute pan, add onion and celery until onion is translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix crabmeat, coconut, mayonnaise, mustard, chives, parsely and 1 cup panko with the onion/celery mixture. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Form into 2-inch diameter cakes.
3. Roll cakes first in flour, then in beaten eggs, then in the remaining 4 cups of panko, each time shaking off excess. At this point you can plate on wax paper and refrigerate to allow cakes to set if desired.
4. Heat oil, and deep fry the crab cakes until golden brown, flipping once.
5. Arrange on a platter and garnish with tomatoes and chives. Serve with coconut basil mayonnaise.

Coconut Basil Mayonnaise
Ingredients

• 1 Cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon basil leaves,chopped
• 1 Teaspoon chili garlic paste (more if you want it spicy, the 1 teaspoon will not make it spicy at all)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth.
2. May be prepared a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.