Mini Crab Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 pinch ground pepper 
• 0.3 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 large eggs 
• 4 teaspoons chives fresh divided chopped
• 24 servings chives fresh cut into pieces
• 0.5 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
• 6 ounces lump crab meat fresh shredded dry picked over
• 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 0.8 cup parmesan cheese divided finely grated
• 0.3 cup cream sour
• 0.3 cup butter unsalted melted plus more for pans ()

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheesein medium bowl until smooth.
2. Add 1/4 cup
3. Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beatin sour cream, citrus peels, 4 teaspoonschopped chives, coarse salt, and cayennepepper. Fold in crabmeat. DO AHEAD: Can bemade 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generouslybutter 2 mini muffin pans. Toss panko,1/2 cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoonschopped chives in small bowl.
5. Drizzle 1/4cup melted butter over, tossing with forkuntil evenly moistened. Press 1 roundedtablespoon panko mixture into bottom ofeach muffin cup, forming crust. Spoon 1generous tablespoon crab mixture into eachcup.
6. Sprinkle rounded teaspoon of pankomixture over each (some may be left over).
7. Bake crab cakes until golden on topand set, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5minutes. Run knife around each cake andgently lift out of pan. DO AHEAD: Can bemade 2 hours ahead. Arrange on bakingsheet; let stand at room temperature.Rewarm in 350°F oven 6 to 8 minutes.
8. Arrange crab cakes on serving platter;sprinkle with chives.
9. * Available in the Asian foods section ofsome supermarkets and at Asian markets.