Crab Cakes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
1 celery rib, minced
12 ounces crabmeat, picked over for shell and cartilage
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten in a small bowl
1⁄2 cup panko bread crumbs
1⁄3 cup homemade mayonnaise or purchased regular or low-fat mayonnaise (do not use fat-free)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A few dashes of hot red pepper sauce
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Melt the butter in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cook, stirring constantly, until softened and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Stir in the crabmeat, egg yolks, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, and hot red pepper sauce.
Scoop up 1⁄2 cup of the mixture and gently form it into a patty between your hands. Continue making patties until you have 6 of them. (The recipe may be made ahead to this point—cover the cakes on a plate and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.)
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then add as many cakes to the skillet as possible without crowding. Shake the pan to make sure the cakes don’t stick.
Fry until brown, about 3 minutes, then turn and continue cooking until browned on the other side, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain; if you need to make additional cakes, add more olive oil to the pan before frying them. Salt to taste before serving, remembering that the crab and mustard are salty.