Saturday, February 21, 2009

Crab Ravioli and Crab Cakes for Dad's 86th Bday
I served the ravioli with a modified penne a la vodka sauce made with olive oil, dried hot pepper flakes, vodka, 1 percent milk, and classico spicy red pepper sauce. The crab cakes are great with this sauce or with a mango wasabi sauce or salsa.

Ravioli Filling - (you'll also need an egg for the crabcakes, but don't add yet)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, small dice
2 Zucchini, small dice
2 teaspoons Mixed Fresh Herbs
1 pound Lump Crabmeat, remove all shells
1/2 cup Dried Bread Crumbs
1 bunch Green Onions
Salt and White Pepper to taste

20 wonton wrappers

Heat olive oil in sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, cook 5-7 minutes. Add salt, white pepper, mixed herbs and green onions. Cook additional 5 minutes. Remove mixture from heat, pour into colander to drain all liquid. Once mixture has cooled, add crabmeat and bread crumbs. Season to taste.

Make ravioli. Add an egg to remaining crab, form into cakes, saute in canola oil.

To Cook Pasta: Place ravioli in boiled salted water and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, then drain. Add cooked ravioli to sauce as directed.

This is the sauce recommended to go with this recipe:
Lemon Basil Butter Sauce:

1/4 cup White Wine
1/4 cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Shallot, minced
1 pound Whole Butter (cut into cubes) - no way!! too much. use 1/3 c. olive oil and some chicken broth!!
1/8 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Fresh Basil (cut into strips)
Salt and Pepper to taste


In a small sauce pan, combine white wine, rice vinegar, lemon juice and shallots. Over medium heat reduce until syrupy. Add cream and reduce by half. Adjust heat to low. Whisk in one cube of butter at a time, making sure each cube of butter is melted before you add the next, until all the butter is incorporated. Strain and season with salt, pepper and basil. Toss cooked raviolis in sauce and serve immediately.

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