All the flavors are here – Old Bay, lemon and that distinct brininess – but there’s no crab in sight with these cakes. Instead, chickpeas stand in for shellfish, and they are just as satisfying.
ingredients
Chickpea Crab Cakes
Tartar Sauce
directions
Place the reserved chickpea liquid into a large bowl, then add the cream of tartar and whip vigorously until foamy and thick.
Whisk in the parsley, lemon juice, Old Bay and honey mustard, then add the bread pieces and toss to coat. Let sit until the bread is soft, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, finely chop the chickpeas (alternatively, you can pinch or smush them). When the bread mixture is ready, add the chickpeas and toss and squeeze the mixture until it holds together. Form into eight 3/4-inch thick patties with nice rounded edges. Cover and chill them for at least 1 hour.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, honey mustard, Old Bay, pickle and pickle brine in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Whisk a large pinch of salt into the flour and put on a plate. Pour enough oil to cover the bottom of a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Dredge half of the cakes in the flour. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the cakes and cook until crunchy and deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep them from browning too quickly. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cakes. Sprinkle each with salt, then bake until heated completely through, about 5 minutes.
Serve the chickpea crab cakes with the tartar sauce and lemon wedges.