ARTICHOKE AND CRAB BEIGNETS WITH REMOULADE         E. Lagasse

 

2 whole artichokes

Salt

Bay leaf

1 lemon, halved

½ teaspoon liquid crab boil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup chopped onions

Salt

Cayenne

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

½ pound fresh crabmeat, picked for cartilage

3 eggs, beaten

1 ½ cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 1/4 cups of flour

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Crystal hot sauce

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Solid vegetable shortening for deep frying

Creole seasoning

2 cups remoulade sauce, the recipe follows

Trim off the stems and thorny tips of the artichoke. Put them in a deep pot and cover with water. Add salt, bay leaf, lemon halves, and crab boil.  Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until tender. Remove and drain. Cool slightly and remove the fuzzy choke from the center. Remove the leaves to expose the heart. Slice thinly and set aside.

 

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Season with salt and cayenne. Saute the onions until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the thinly sliced artichokes and the garlic. Season with salt and cayenne. Saute for 1 minute. Add the crabmeat and saute for another minute.  Remove and set aside to cool. 

Make a batter by combining the eggs, milk, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating and incorporating until all of the flour is used and the batter is smooth. Season with salt, Cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Mix well. Stir in the parsley. Add the artichoke and crab mixture to the batter and fold to mix. 

Heat the shortening to 360 degrees F. Drop the batter, a heaping tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil. When the beignets pop to the surface, roll them around with a slotted spoon in the oil to brown them evenly. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the beignets with Creole seasoning.  Serve with the Remoulade. 

Yield: about 2 dozen 

REMOULADE:

*1 egg

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

3 tablespoons Creole or whole grain mustard

3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt

Cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup olive oil

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and process until smooth. Season with salt, cayenne and pepper. While the machine is running, slowly add the oil, a little at a time, until thick. Re-season if necessary. 

Yield: about 2 cups