Crab Cakes with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Delicious and not too rich for crab cakes. The aioli is optional.

Crab Cakes:
(serves 2 as a first course)
1 can (8 oz.) premium white lump crab meat, drained (or fresh if you can get it) NO KRAB!
2 tbs light mayo or miracle whip
1 small egg
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup fresh white bread crumbs or crushed crackers such as Keebler Club crackers or Snack Sticks (if using bread crumbs, add salt to the recipe, if using crackers, no added salt needed)
1 tbs Old Bay seasoning
1 tbs fresh chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, mashed into a paste
Fresh lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon
Flour
2-4 tbs Olive oil
1 tbs butter

Directions:
Mix first 10 ingredients together, being careful to not overmix or break up the crab chunks. Dust a sheet pan or piece of tinfoil with flour. Carefully form little patties with the mixture and drop them onto the sheet pan or foil. Don't overhandle as the mixture will be very soft and wet. If the mixture is too wet, add more crumbs, or some flour. Once the mixture has been formed into patties, sprinkle the tops of the cakes with flour.

Meanwhile, melt butter into 2 tbs of the olive oil and heat a saute pan to medium-high. Carefully drop cakes into pan with a spatula. Cook on one side until brown and crisp.

Turn carefully, cook on the other side until brown and crisp and the inside of the cakes are cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve hot, topped with aioli and a few sliced green onions for garnish.

Lemon Garlic Aioli:
1/4 cup light mayo or miracle whip
2 small (or 1 large) garlic clove, mashed to a paste with salt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Dash of black pepper
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning, or more if you like

Directions:
Mash garlic into a fine paste with the side of a knife on a cutting board, using salt as an abrasive. Mix all ingredients together. Serve with the crab cakes.