Crab Empanadas With Garlic Lime Aioli Recipes

PAN SEARED SOFT-SHELL CRAB WITH PICKLED ONIONS AND GARLIC AIOLI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, salt, sugar, hot sauce and 1 cup of cold water. Add the onions and the radishes to the vinegar mixture and reserve.
• Clean the crabs by flipping up each side and removing the lungs. Pull the "apron" flap off of the bottom of the crab. Using a sharp pair of scissors cut the face off the crab, this seems really mean - it is- accept it and move on.
• Soft-shell crabs usually have a lot of water in them which can be very dangerous during frying. Pat the crabs with paper towels to remove excess water.
• Add the frying oil to a large saute pan until it reaches a depth of 1/4-inch. Bring to a medium-high heat.
• While the oil is heating, in a large bowl, toss together the mesclun, zucchini, some of the pickled onions and radishes with some of the pickling liquid, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. The salad should be lightly dressed, very flavorful and not soggy. Arrange the salad on 4 individual salad plates.
• Set up a plate lined with paper towels to drain the crabs when they come out of the frying pan. Check the temperature of the oil by flicking flour into the pan. The flour will sizzle when the oil is hot. Put the flour into a shallow dish. When the oil is hot dredge the crabs the flour and pat off the excess. Gently add the crabs to the pan. When putting the crabs in the pan, be careful not to throw them in the oil because the hot oil will splash. Fry the crabs until crispy on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the pan to paper towels to blot excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and put 1 crab on each of the prepared salads. Garnish with a dollop of the garlic aioli and serve.
• That's crabby!
• In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, vinegar and egg yolks. Turn the machine on. While the machine is running begin adding the oil, drop by drop, until you see the mixture thicken. When the mixture begins to look like a smooth homogeneous mixture, the oil can be added in a slow thin stream. If the mixture is too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it down. Season with salt and taste to make sure it is delicious.

CRAB AND GOAT CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Dough: Combine flour, salt, and butter in food processor, run until it becomes a coarse meal. Add all the water and pulse until it forms a dough. Allow to rest for 1/2 hour.
• Filling: In a saute pan on medium, heat olive oil and saute onion, garlic, and habanero. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, making a rough circle about 1/8-inch thick. With a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut circles.
• Place about 2 teaspoons of the filling into the center of each circle. Moisten the exposed dough with a finger dipped in water. Fold the empanada in half, press the firmly together, sealing with a fork around the edge. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve with Mango Chutney.
• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Add cornstarch if desired to thicken.

PORK AND POTATO EMPANADAS WITH CHARRED TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the filling: Coat a large wide pot with extra-virgin olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add the pork, cumin and some salt, and cook until the pork is cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and set aside. Return the pan to the heat, and coat with more oil if needed. Add the onions, season with salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Toss in the poblanos and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the pork to the pan and add the potatoes. Season with salt, and stir to combine. Add the cilantro and stir to combine. Add the wine and scrape the crud off the bottom of the pan. Then add the stock and bay leaf. Taste and season if needed. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid evaporates. The filling should be saucy but not soupy. Remove the bay leaf and cool the filling completely.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water, and work it in with your hands to incorporate; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Lightly dust a rolling pin and a clean surface with flour. Divide the dough in half. Refrigerate half of the dough and roll out the other half of the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 10 circles of dough. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the filling into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the edges with the egg wash and then fold the dough to enclose the filling and form a semi-circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Grill the tomatillos on all sides until charred, then remove and cool. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the tomatillos.
• Coat a large saute pan with oil and set over medium heat. Add the garlic, jalapenos and half of the cilantro, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatillos, season with salt and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lime zest and juice and the remaining cilantro. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.
• Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with some egg wash. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the tops of the empanadas for the steam to escape. Bake until golden brown, 30 minutes.
• Serve hot with the charred tomatillo salsa.

PAELLA WITH CHORIZO, SHRIMP, CLAMS AND CHICKEN WITH GARLIC AIOLI

Steps:

• For the paella: Add the chicken stock, saffron threads and shrimp shells to a medium saucepan and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat the paella pans generously with olive oil. Add the chorizo, dividing it between the two pans. Set the pans over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken to the pans and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is beginning to brown, but isn't cooked all the way through.
• Add the garlic, celery, onions, peppers and tomato to a food processor and pulse until chopped into a coarse paste. Add to the paella pans and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the veggies are soft and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add about 1/2 cup of the stock to each pan and stir, making sure to scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pans. Season to taste with salt. Add about another cup of the stock to each pan, then bring the liquid to a boil.
• Add the rice and stir until thoroughly combined. Nestle the clams into the rice and cook for 5 minutes. Nestle the shrimp into the rice and simmer until the shrimp are pink and cooked through and the clams have fully opened, 5 minutes.
• For the aioli: Meanwhile, add the vinegar, garlic and egg yolks to a food processor and process until combined. With the machine running, slowly add the oil to emulsify the mixture. Season to taste with salt.
• For serving: Garnish with the chives and a drizzle of aioli.

SPICED CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON & LIME AïOLI

Steps:

• Combine the crab, spring onions, chilli and coriander in a large bowl. Heat a small frying pan and toast the sesame seeds. While they're still hot, use a pestle and mortar to roughly grind, then tip into the bowl with the crab. Add the breadcrumbs, egg yolk and seasoning, and mix lightly. Shape into 6 patties and chill for at least 30 mins.
• For the aïoli, mix the mayonnaise, zests and a squeeze of lemon juice. Heat 0.5cm depth oil in a non-stick frying pan. Dust the crab cakes with a little flour and fry gently for 3 mins on each side until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve the crab cakes with the zesty mayonnaise, wedges of lime and a few coriander leaves scattered over the top.

GARLIC AIOLI

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON GARLIC AIOLI SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix first 10 ingredients together, being careful to not overmix or break up the crab chunks.
• Dust a sheet pan or piece of tinfoil with flour. Carefully form little patties with the mixture and drop them onto the sheet pan or foil to dust with flour. Don't overhandle as the mixture will be very soft and wet. If the mixture is too wet, add more crumbs, or some flour.
• Meanwhile, melt butter into 2 tbs of the olive oil and heat a sauté pan to medium-high. Carefully drop cakes into pan with a spatula. Cook on one side until brown and crisp.
• Turn carefully, cook on the other side until brown and crisp and the inside of the cakes are cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Serve hot, topped with aioli and a few sliced green onions for garnish.
• For the sauce:.
• Mash garlic into a fine paste with the side of a knife on a cutting board, using salt as an abrasive. Mix all ingredients together. Serve with the crab cakes.

SRIRACHA AIOLI

Steps:

• Stir mayonnaise and sriracha hot sauce together in a bowl until the color is consistent; add lime juice and stir.

CRAB CAKES WITH AIOLI DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a mini chopper, finely crush the potato chips.
• In a med. size bowl, mix together mayonnaise, Old Bay, white pepper, worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard until creamy.
• Add the crab meat and mix evenly but gently so as not to break up the clumps of crab too much. Clumps of crab are a good thing!
• Gently stir in 1/4 cup crushed potato chips.
• Form the mixture into 4 patties and coat with remaining potato chip crumbs.
• Melt about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Add more butter if needed.
• When the butter starts to sizzle, gently place the crab cakes into the pan (they're delicate).
• Sprinkle with a little kosher salt if desired and cook for about 4 minutes.
• Carefully flip the patties, and drizzle with lemon juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown.
• Dipping Sauce: Place all ingredients in mini chopper and push the button. That's it! Make it ahead of time if desired and refrigerate.