Have you looked at the Lion’s Mane mushrooms–like these above at the Portland farmer’s market– and wondered what to do with them?  Now you’ll have an idea; buy some and give this a try.

Like crab, lion’s mane has a similar texture when pulled apart, and hardly any taste. Even if you don’t like mushrooms, these will not read mushroomy to you at all.

My Gluten-free Crab Cakes are the best–with no bread crumb fillers– and people love them. However, crab is expensive ($26/lb right now at Costco), and even though Lion’s Mane seems expensive too (I paid $8 for a 1/2 pound) this is way more affordable. It is perfect for your vegan friends or when you don’t need a protein kick.

We ate two patties as a meal with salad and fruit, and saved the other two–already cooked up– for innards of a wonderful omelette (with a little cheese). My husband said it was the best omelette he’s had in a very long time. Both meals are shown below.

Note: to make these vegan, use vegan mayonnaise (called Veganaise).

Lion’s Mane Crab-free Crab Cake Recipe

For the Cakes:

8 oz lion’s mane mushrooms
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
2 Tablespoons minced chives
1 teaspoon Bay Seasoning
3 Tablespoons avocado or vegan mayonnaise
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 Tablespoon cassava flour
1/4 cup almond flour
3 Tablespoon avocado oil

For the Lemon Garlic Aioli:

6 Tablespoons avocado or vegan mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of one lemon
juice 1/2 lemon
1 small pinch sea salt

Pull apart the lion’s mane my hand into shreds. Take your time. It is fun and meditative. You will have some stringy bits like shown below, which I then used scissors to snip shorter so they’d stay in patties better.

In a large bowl, combine the lion’s mane, red bell pepper, chives, bay seasoning, mayonnaise, and cassava flour. Mix until combined.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, scoop up the crab mixture and form into six uniform patties. Set them on the parchment, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to have them firm up.

Meanwhile, combine all the aioli ingredients.

Place almond flour on a plate. Take the firm crab cakes and carefully place each side in the almond flour, until both sides are lightly dusted.

Heat three tablespoons of avocado oil on medium high, and carefully set in the crab cakes in to sear until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

Serve immediately with yummy aioli. Wow. So good. Enjoy!

(Store leftover cooked cakes and aioli separately in the refrigerator, and eat within a few days.)