Fun with Fish: Crab Cake Portobello Sandwich

Sometime in the last few years, Food Network launched a TV show called "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef". Since the show began I have thought this idea was brilliant. We all go out to restaurants and pay three times more than it costs to make the dish. When the entree arrives we hope for it to be much  more inventive, interesting, and delicious than we could make ourselves. The idea behind the show is to give the consumer confidence to make these meals at home. Well congrats Anne Burrell, you're show has inspired me. Every time I eat out, I try to pick an item off the menu that is completely different than anything I have ever had. Once I've committed, I read all of the ingredients and description listed on the menu. If the server seems knowledgeable, I will even go as far as asking about the process. This past weekend, we ate out at a cafe in Haddonfield, NJ called Corner Bistro. They specialized in the usual lunch fare... sandwiches, salads, and soups. As I looked up and down the menu I saw the traditional items like an Italian panini, French dip, and tuna salad sandwich. Off to the bottom left I saw a few specialty items. I generally am the most indecisive of the party at a restaurant; however, when I saw the crab cake on ciabatta with grilled portobello and a honey balsamic reduction, I started to salivate immediately. This sandwich truly was as delicious as it sounds. With each bite, I concentrated on the flavors so that I could make it at home a few days later. Tonight, I am revealing the secrets of the Corner Bistro Restaurant. Made completely from my memory and with an added Kristen spice, enjoy! See below wine pairing for recipe. This will be the first of four white fish recipes. After my beef kick in July, white fish is on the horizon!

Luckily, when I made this dish, I had three open white wine bottles in the refrigerator. Although it may seem as though we are alcoholics, it's summer time and I am a wine rep that samples as many as ten wines a day for restaurants and stores. When considering a wine to pair with the crab cake sandwich, I considered the distinct flavors that should be highlighted in the wine. After sampling a grassy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, an acidic and citrus focused Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, and a slightly oaky Chilean Chardonnay, we arrived at a preferable glass to pair with this white fish concoction. Rayun Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley in Chile is a perfect accompaniment. The wine has a nice citrus focus which outlines the lemon in the crab cake and has a nice acidity for the white fish. I love how this wine is not too complicated, making it a wonderful wine with food. I always think the wine should accent the food and not overpower it. Also, the lump crab tends to be pricey so the Chilean wine will save your pocket a bit. This wine retails below $10 a bottle.

Crab Cake Portobello Sandwich on Ciabattta with a Balsamic Honey Reduction

For the crab cakes:
- 1/2 green bell pepper chopped finely
- 1/3 red onion chopped finely
- 1 jalapeno minced(optional)
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp mayo
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp Worcestershire
- 1 lemon squeezed
- salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder
- Sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme minced(optional and can be substituted for other fresh herbs of choice)
- flour for dusting
- 1/2 cup peanut oil

For the sandwich
- crab cake
- ciabatta roll
- grilled portobello mushroom
- sliced cheese like sharp white cheddar or sharp provolone
- balsamic and honey reduction

Start with a saute of the bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno in oil over medium heat. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Cook mushroom over medium heat with lid on and flip once, about 10 minutes total, set aside. Meanwhile, in a smaller saucepan, simmer 1 cup balsamic and 1/4 cup honey over low heat. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for crab cake and make into patties like a burger. Dust a plate with flour and the tops of the patties. Heat pan with peanut oil on high heat. Add crab cakes when the oil is hot and cook on each side for a few minutes until desired crispness. Add sliced cheese to top of crab cake once removed from pan. Slice mushroom and layer on bottom of ciabatta. Lay crab cake on top of portobella and drizzle the reduction over top. Enjoy!

Recommended side: Sweet Potato wedges. Heat punctured sweet potato in microwave for 2-4 minutes. Slice into wedges, lay in pan with olive oil and garlic salt. Bake at 400 degrees until softened in middle with crispy edges. 20-40 minutes.