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Vegan Lemon Stepper Jalapeño Crab Cakes

  • Preparation

    30 minutes

  • Cook

    10 minutes

  • Serves

    6-8

  • Chef

    Chef Jeffery Smith Jr.

Ingredients

  • Marinade:
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 in. nub of ginger
  • 1/2 jalapeño
  • 1/4 small shallot
  • 4-6 cilantro sprigs
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Cakes:
  • 1 lb lion’s mane mushrooms, squeeze the moisture out
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsp. vegan mayo
  • 1 Tbsp. vegan egg
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp. dill, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Lemon Stepper
  • salt to taste
  • avocado oil (or neutral oil) for frying

Preparation

  • Blend all the marinade ingredients together and set aside.
  • Tear mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Mix in breadcrumbs, mayo, vegan egg lemon zest, dill, parsley, Lemon Stepper, a healthy splash of the marinade, and salt to taste.
  • Scoop mixture into balls and form into cakes (you should get 6-8)
  • Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet to 350 degrees, and fry cakes in the pan until cooked through and brown on both sides.
  • Plate and serve!
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Credit: Justin Jones

Chef Jeffery Smith Jr.

Chef Jeffery Smith Jr. is a culinary professional, celebrity private chef, and caterer based in Los Angeles, CA. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Jeffery has always had a love for a variety of cuisines. He is an HBCU alum and member of the Theta Tau of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He received his B.S. in Mass Communications and minor in Psychology from Jackson State University in Jackson, MS.

A change of career brought Jeffery to Los Angeles in 2009 and on a journey that would ultimately lead to the kitchen. A lack of formal culinary training did not stop Jeffery from learning techniques around the kitchen beginning with preparing meals for holidays and brunches turning into requests on a larger scale. Jeffery has traveled to 35 countries experiencing the food of many different cultures, picking up a few skills along the way and launched Best Kept Secrets Intl., LLC in 2019. Jeffery also continues to cook for celebrity clients, executives, caters private events and operates his macaroni and cheese store, Best Kept Secrets Intl., which is located on the Doordash platform in Los Angeles, CA.

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