Crab Puff

The main dish for the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen is a seafood dish. It’s a Crab Puff recipe from Martha Stewart.

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These Crab Puff will be a family favourite especially with kids. They are crunchy on the outside and creamy.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 ounces artificial crab meat, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup whole leaf flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing
  • 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 tablespoons large brine-packed capers, rinsed and dried, for garnishing

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Source: Martha Stewart


Instructions

Crab-Puff-3Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add shallots, and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Crab-Puff-4Add milk in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring/whisking often, until mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes.

Crab-Puff-7Add crab meat, minced parsley, lemon zest, a pinch of cayenne and Parmesan cheese.

Remove from heat and stir until combine.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Crab-Puff-9Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely.
Crab-Puff-13Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk eggs in a shallow dish.

Place bread crumbs in another shallow dish. We tried with regular breadcrumbs and Japanese panko.

Shape cooled crab meat mixture into 1-inch balls.

Working with 1 ball at a time, coat in beaten egg.

Crab-Puff-14Then, in breadcrumbs.
Crab-Puff-15Transfer to rack.

Repeat with remaining balls.

Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Crab-Puff-18Heat 4 inches of oil in a large, heavy pot until it reaches 375 degrees. If you dont have a thermometer, drop some breadcrumbs bits into the oil and it should sizzle if the oil is hot enough.

Working in batches, fry crab balls, turning once, until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature. Using a slotted spoon or wire-mesh skimmer, transfer crab puffs to paper towels to drain, and immediately season with salt, if desired.

Crab-Puff-21Reduce heat until oil reaches 350F. Fry whole leaf parsley for 1 minute, and using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer to paper towels to drain. The parsley may cause the hot oil to spatter when added to the pot.

Fry capers for 1 minute, and using a wire-mesh skimmer to transfer to paper towels to drain.

The larger the capers, the more flowerlike and crispy when fried.

Serve the crab puffs with the fried capers and parsley.

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