Sweet Potato Crab Cakes With Spicy Harissa Chermoula Recipe
Prep Time:
1 hour
Cook Time:
1 hour, 15 minutes
Servings:
8 Crab Cakes
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and finely minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shells
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil, per batch
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed
  • ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place the sweet potato on the baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast until completely tender, about 40 to 45 minutes.
  4. Let the sweet potato cool slightly, then peel and mash it (you’ll need 1 cup of mashed sweet potato). Spread the mashed sweet potato out on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.
  5. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
  6. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and just starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes.
  7. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
  8. Make the chermoula: Add the cilantro, parsley, garlic, harissa, cumin, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to a blender or food processor.
  9. Pulse until finely chopped but not fully smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  10. For the crab cakes, combine the crab meat, cooled mashed sweet potato, cooled leek mixture, egg, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
  11. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into patties about 1 inch thick.
  12. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a plate.
  13. Press the patties lightly into the breadcrumbs to coat both sides.
  14. Refrigerate the crab cakes for 30 minutes to firm up.
  15. Heat the neutral oil in a cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  16. Cook crab cakes in batches without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown. Repeat in as many batches as needed, refreshing the oil each time.
  17. Transfer cooked crab cakes to a plate lined with paper towels to cool slightly.
  18. Top the crab cakes with mayonnaise to taste and chermoula. Serve immediately.