Directions

• Pick through the crabmeat to remove any thin, sharp cartilage, taking care not to squeeze the meat; you want it to stay as nearly whole as possible. Put it in a large mixing bowl.
• Trim the crusts from the bread and cut the bread into 1/4-inch cubes. Combine the crabmeat, bread, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chives, lemon juice, crab-boil seasoning, and Tabasco sauce until the bread is coated and everything is incorporated. Use your hands to fold the crabmeat in gently until just combined.
• Scoop the crab into roughly 1/2-cup patties (f you want smaller, appetizer-sized cakes, make each one 1/4-cup). Pat them to keep them compact, then arrange them on a plate or baking sheet so they’re ready to go. Line a separate plate with paper towels, and set it aside.
• Set a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat until it’s warm, then decrease the heat to medium and add the canola oil; if your skillet is on the smaller side, use only half the oil and change it halfway through cooking if it gets too foamy and dark. When the oil is smoking, use a thin spatula to transfer the cakes gently into the skillet, leaving plenty of space between them; you’ll probably need to do this in batches. They should just barely be holding together, and that’s what makes them so tender.
• Leave the crab cakes alone for 3 minutes before checking the bottom for a nice golden crust. Flip, and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes, then transfer the cakes to the lined plate while you cook the rest. Fold the remaining 2 teaspoons chives with the rest of the herbs into the aioli, and serve it with the warm crab cakes.
• Preserved Lemon Aioli
• Put the lemon juice, preserved lemon, garlic, and salt in a blender or small food processor before adding the egg yolks; blend until completely combined.
• Combine the oils in a cup and, with the blender on (let it run for a few seconds before you carefully remove the top), pour the oils in a slow, steady stream as you continue to blend. The aioli will thicken; it’s done when it looks like pudding. Use it right away, or store it in the refrigerator for up to a few days.