Crab Cakes With Pasilla Chili Aioli

Mix crab, mayonnaise, carrots, celery, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper and cayenne to taste.

Tear bread into chunks; whirl in a blender or food processor until crumbs form; mound crumbs on a plate. Drop 1/4-cup portions crab mixture into crumbs, and sprinkle crumbs over top; pat into 1/2"-thick cakes.

Place a 10-12" nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly coat pan with oil and cook cakes, using a wide spatula to turn once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total.

Place cakes on salad plates; keep warm. Garnish with cilantro. Add aioli to taste.

** PASILLA CHILI AIOLI ** 1. Remove and discard stems and seeds from dried pasilla; rinse chili. With scissors, cut the chili in 1/2" pieces.

Drain pimientos; pat dry.

In a 10-12" frying pan combine olive oil, chili, pimientos and garlic. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice. Stir over high heat until most of the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth; boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Whirl mixture in a blender or food processor with mayonnaise until smoothly pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1/2 cup.

F Anton Brunbauer, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ