They look like crab cakes, but these vegetable patties can hold their own
You look at the photo and think, “crab cakes,” right?
Nope. These are made from hearts of palm and artichoke hearts, spiked with a little Old Bay and nori flakes, with no jumbo-lump anything included.
So why wouldn’t I call them Vegan Crab Cakes? They're clearly meant to look and even taste like the seafood classic. But I'd rather not set up unreasonable expectations. I took the name from the source, Robin Robertson's book “Veganize It!,” and I like emphasizing what the cakes are, not what they're not.
These Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Cakes have a lot going for them beyond their ability to mimic one of the most beloved dishes of seafood fans. They're a little crisp from panko bread crumbs on the outside, and on the inside they're moist from the vegan mayo but with just the slightest crunch here and there from the chopped hearts of palm.
The flavor hints at seafood because of the Old Bay and nori, but the texture gives these an identity all their own.
Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Cakes
Adapted from "Veganize It!: Easy DIY Recipes for a Plant-Based Kitchen," by Robin Robertson (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017). Nori (dried seaweed) flakes are available on the international aisle of large grocery stores; you can also finely chop dried nori sheets or crumbles, if those are easier to find.
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 medium onion, minced (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, minced (1/4 cup)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (14-ounce) jar hearts of palm, well drained, patted dry and coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, well drained, patted dry and coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon nori or dulse flakes
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
3/4 cup plain panko bread crumbs
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion and celery; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat to cool.
Combine the hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, Old Bay seasoning, cornstarch, nori flakes and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Add the cooled onion mixture and 1/4 cup of the panko; mix well. Divide into 6 to 8 equal portions, then shape into soft cakes, about 1 to 2 inches thick.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Coat the cakes with the bread crumbs, pressing gently as needed to make them stick. Refrigerate 20 minutes or longer. (Important so the cakes hold together.)
Wipe out the skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; once it shimmers, and working in batches as needed, gently place the cakes in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side and warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Serve hot, with lemon wedges and greens.
Per cake (based on 8): 120 calories, 2 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 410 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar
Yield: 6 to 8 cakes.
This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 11:31 AM with the headline "They look like crab cakes, but these vegetable patties can hold their own."