Dinner Tonight: Crab Cakes + Radish Cous Cous

Here's a Dinner Tonight that feels truly elevated even though, as usual, it’s a cinch to throw together. Crispy, crunchy crab cakes are always a treat, and they play perfectly against a creamy salad with radishes and cucumber. You’ve got texture, color, taste -- and of course, it all comes together in about an hour.

The Menu 

Click through on the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes, but we've also written you a handy grocery list and game plan below.

Bridget Binns' Crab Cakes by Genius Recipes

Radish Cous Cous by cristinasciarra

The Grocery List

Serves 4

Israeli cous cous
Chicken stock
1 avocado 
Avocado oil (if you don’t have this on hand or want to buy it, olive oil works, too)
1 package of edamame
1 bunch of radishes
1 kirby cucumber
1 small serrano chile
3 scallions
2 handfuls of arugula
2 celery stalks
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ tablespoons jarred pimento (sweet peppers)
1 pound lump crabmeat
1 ¼ cup fine dried breadcrumbs

We know you've got a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator so you'll have chicken stock, salt, pepper, butter, eggs, onions, lemons, and mustard on hand. If not, add those to the list!

The Plan

1. Cut and sauté the vegetables for the crab cakes, and add the cream; this mixture should take a few minutes to cool. While it’s cooling, cook the cous cous, and then set aside to cool, as well.

2. Mix the rest of the crab cake batter, and then shape and coat them. Put on a platter and stick in the freezer for 20 minutes (this has the same effect as putting them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, as the instructions say to do, but takes much less time).

3. While the cakes are in the freezer, cut the radishes, cucumber, scallions and chile for the salad. Mix those together with the rest of the ingredients. Make your dressing and set aside.

4. Take the crab cakes out of the freezer and fry them in batches. When those are done, toss your salad with the dressing, and serve! (The crab cakes are great with a little fresh lemon juice squeezed on them.)