Sunday, June 15, 2008
Food, Recipes
Hot summer nights
Crab beignets with jalapeño glaze
TRGBy Cameron Thompson
When you think of the fiery American cooking at Two Urban Licks, Southern cooking often comes to mind. Since we strive for that unique flaming flavor throughout our menu, it’s only natural that as the executive chef of Two, I should take some inspiration from the Delta regions of the South. And that’s exactly what I’ve done with my crab beignet recipe.
Beignets are so popular that they practically represent an entire food group of their own in Louisiana and surrounding areas. I simply took this classic dish and gave it a twist, Two Urban Licks style.
Usually a sweet dessert, I have taken beignets and added tender crab meat, spicy jalapeños and fresh corn to turn them into a savory appetizer that’s become a popular meal opener at Two. This is a dish that’s relatively simple to prepare, but one that also impresses with its creativity. These elements make my crab beignets perfect for passing and sharing at summer cocktail parties, just as easily as enjoying them at Two.
When everyone thinks of the beach on hot summer afternoons, succulent crab is an obvious culinary choice, but summer is also a fantastic time of year for corn, a vegetable that sometimes can be a little bland when it’s out of season. Picked at the peak of freshness and delivered directly from the farm, corn brings a sweet and exciting flavor to the crab beignets.
When buying corn, I like to go to a local farmer’s market for fresh, juicy picks. Ripe sweet corn has a bright green husk. Be sure to see if the silk is still stiff and dark and that you can feel individual kernels when you press gently against the husk. For optimum freshness, pick the corn the day you make the beignets or as close as possible.
While corn may be the key ingredient in this dish, the jalapeño glaze is definitely a defining characteristic. This topping adds a zip that makes it perfect for a summer afternoon pick-me-up. Tender, deseeded and pureed jalapeños take the flavor of this dish to a new level of uniqueness, and the gelatin creates a fun texture.
For the first step, mix the dry ingredients of the beignets together, leaving out the crab meat, corn and Manchego cheese. To that mixture of dry ingredients, add the milk and eggs, mixing until saturated. Then fold in the remaining ingredients: crab, cheese and corn.
When forming this mixture into balls, do not pack it too tightly. Typically, beignets are relatively fluffy, light finger foods, so avoid making dense crab beignets.
At Two Urban Licks, we pride ourselves on our approach to a unique dining experience in Atlanta. We settle for nothing less than fiery American cooking inspired from every culinary corner of the country, and that’s exactly what this dish produces. Put a little fire in the bellies of your summer party guests with these spiced-up crab beignets inspired by the southern soul food! SP
Cameron Thompson is the executive chef at Two Urban Licks. 820 Ralph McGill Blvd. 404-522-4622. www.twourbanlicks.com.
CRAB BEIGNETS
INGREDIENTS
Beignets
- 1 cup crab meat
- ½ cup corn (fresh)
- ½ cup Manchego cheese
- 6 cups flour
- 2 cups corn flour
- 4 cups 2 percent milk
- 1 egg
- 1 ounce baking powder
- 3 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Jalapeño Glaze
- 3 jalapeños
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ sheet gelatin
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended. Add the milk and egg. Fold the mixture together until well saturated. Once completed, fold in the crab, fresh corn and Manchego cheese. Take the completed mixture and form into loose balls. Place the balls into a deep fryer set at 350 degrees F for three minutes. Once removing from the fryer, place on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil. Place beignets on a plate. Cut open and de-seed the jalapeños, removing the tops as well. Place the jalapenos and sugar into the water and bring to a boil. Boil the jalapeños until extremely tender. Blend the mixture together until jalapeños are pureed. Add the gelatin to the mixture, and let cool. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish beignets with the jalapeño glaze.