Name: Bolinhos de Santola (Portuguese Crab Cakes with Mint and Cilantro)
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Portugal
Ingredients: Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs; ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves; ¼ cup chopped cilantro; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest; 1 tablespoon dry mustard; 4 ribs celery, chopped; 2 medium onions, finely minced (about 1¼ cups); ¼ cup unsalted butter; 2 large eggs; ½ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade (see next recipe); 2 pounds crabmeat, picked over for; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 cup olive oil or as needed for frying.; Red Pepper Aioli (recipe follows); 1 cup dry bread crumbs

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Mediterranean Kitchen

By Joyce Goldstein

Published 1998

About

This recipe is a compromise because the original is made with salt cod, a fish most chefs and some Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese adore but that we cannot sell to the average American diner. Since we are in San Francisco, home of the famous crab, we substituted crabmeat for the cod. Now we cannot keep up with the demand for these cakes.