Crab Cake Appetizers with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

12 ounces shelled cooked crab (
¼ cup finely diced celery
¼ cup minced fresh chives
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
1¼ cups panko (Japanese-style coarse bread crumbs) or fine dried bread crumbs Fresh chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths for garnish

 

1.   Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell.

2.   In a large bowl, combine celery, minced chives, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, and hot sauce; mix well with a fork. Add crab and ¼ cup panko; stir gently just to mix.

3.   Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan. (Can make up to 3 hours ahead)

4.   Bake in a 475° oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. With a spatula, transfer crab cakes to a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli onto each cake.

Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.