Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3 baby candy striped beets, thinly sliced
• 3 red beets, thinly sliced
• 3 baby yellow beets, thinly sliced
• 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons Creole mustard
• 2 tablespoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon finely diced yellow bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon finely diced Scotch bonnet peppers
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 large organic eggs
• About 6 cups canola or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 2 cups cornstarch
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, for serving
• 1 cup thinly sliced kale leaves, for serving
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

1. For the pickled beets: In a medium saucepot, bring the sugar, vinegar, fennel seeds and 1 cup water to a boil. Place the sliced beets in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling liquid over the beets and let sit for 20 minutes.
2. For the crab cakes: Put the crabmeat, mayonnaise, panko, mustard, seafood seasoning, red and yellow bell peppers, scallions, Scotch bonnet peppers, thyme and egg in a large bowl and lightly toss until combined. Set aside.
3. For the soft-boiled eggs: Bring 8 cups water to a rolling boil and add the salt; prepare an ice water bath. Place the eggs into the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes; immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath to halt the cooking. When cool enough to handle, peel and set aside.
4. For the breading and frying: Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan or deep-fryer until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F.
5. Whisk together the milk and eggs in a shallow bowl. Put the panko and cornstarch in separate shallow bowls. Mold one-sixth of the crab cake mixture around a soft-boiled egg to form a ball. Then roll the coated egg in cornstarch, followed by the egg mixture, followed by the panko. Repeat with the remaining crab and eggs.
6. Carefully lower each coated egg into the oil and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
7. Dress each plate with some parsley, kale and pickled beets. Put a crab cake-covered egg on top and drizzle with olive oil.