Celebrate Summer…
Photo Credit: The Wall Street Journal, used with permission
with Chef Dean Neff’s Crab Cakes With Stone Fruit Salad and Green Goddess Sauce. This delicious combination was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal (6/18/2025).
Total Time: about 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1½ cups roughly chopped basil leaves
1½ cups roughly chopped parsley leaves
¼ cup cold water
1¼ cups mayonnaise
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to season
Kosher salt
1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 cup olive oil, plus extra
5 small peaches, plums or a mix, cut in ½ -inch wedges
Directions
Make the sauce: In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup basil, 1 cup parsley and water, 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and pulse until smooth. Pulse in ¾ cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and salt to taste.
Make the crab cakes: Keeping saltines in their sleeve, smash into coarse crumbs. Some pieces should be fine and others about ¼ inch across. Transfer crumbs to a large bowl along with crab, ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, Old Bay and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to gently mix until the mixture just comes together. Divide into 4 equal portions and pat into discs.
Set a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add ½ inch oil. Once oil reaches 335 degrees, add crab cakes. (To gauge oil temperature without a thermometer, drop in a saltine: It should puff and turn golden within 30 seconds.) Fry crab cakes until browned, about 3 minutes per side, working in batches if needed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter.
In a bowl, combine fruit with remaining basil and parsley. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste. To serve, dollop dressing onto each plate. Place crab cake on top and mound salad alongside.