Juan’s Croquetas de Cangrejo
Crab Croquettes
Warning! This little thing can be a little
difficult. When you get all the ingredients
mixed, it can be a little sloppy. If there is too
much liquid, it’s hard to keep the patties
formed.
In Spain, Croquets are often made with a
Béchamel (Flour, Butter and Milk), shaped
like big Kumquats or balls, breaded, deep
fried and might be called Buñuelos (Fritters).
I’ll get around to that recipe later but the
idea of this one is to get rid of leftover stuff.
Ingredients:
1. 2 small cans (6 oz.) of Crab Meat
2. Leftover starchy stuff…….old Crackers,
Corn Chips, Bread, Mashed Potatoes,
Breading (corn or Flour Meal) Fritos,
Croutons, Taco Shells and such
3. Chile (not hot) I like to use Dried
New Mexico Green Chile……..when it’s
red
4. Celery
5. Pickle Relish
6. 2 Eggs
7. Garlic Olive Oil
8. Marinated Olives
Optional Ingredients:
1. Cumin
2. Chile Pepper
3. Green Onions
4. Black Pepper
Look around in your pantry, the fridge,
counter tops etc. and gather up all the old
starchy things that you don’t want to eat
anymore but haven’t thrown away or given
to the birds.
Smonch, crumble and crunch starchy things
in a mixing bowel. Reserve some of this
stuff in case the mess gets too sloppy (too
much liquid).
Without mercy, beat 2 eggs.
Dump in the Eggs.
Thoroughly mix this mess.
If it’s too runny, add some more starchy
things.
You could substitute (or add to) the Crab
Meat with similar things like: Chopped
Clams, Shrimp, Lobster and such.
This is a New Mexico Green Chile (they
turn red and are sold in Ristras) witch has
been seeded. You could use other types of
Chile but beware of too hot for old poots
like me.
Chop up the Chile.
Chop some Celery.
Add some Marinated Olives.
Dump it in and At this point you could add
any of the optional in ingredients that you
might like. The Cumin and Chile Pepper
will give it a Latin American taste.
You could add some Pickle relish.
Dump in a couple cans of Crab
Meat………….or any of the meat options.
Because you also add the caned liquid, you
might have to add some more starchy things
at this point. If it’s too runny, it is hard to
form and keep together the patties.
Thoroughly mix all this goop………….add
some more Crackers, Bread and such if need
be.
Add some Garlic Olive Oil to a big, flat
cooking thing of some sort and heat it a little.
I like to use this Teppanyaki gizmo that
you find at Asian stores.
Get some kind of a big spatula nice and oily
to the patties will slide off of it easily.
Turn up the heat to frying
hot………..maybe °350 or hotter if you
think you can make the patties pretty fast.
Form some patties on the spatula.
Slip the patties off into the hot oil.
Flip them after they have browned a little on
one side and firmed up. This is a little tricky
and now you will see why I warned
you………..they will want to come apart if
they are too wet.
If this is the case, you could turn down the
heat and cover them for a little
while…………until the Egg cooks and they
firm up a bit.
When they are stuck together enough,
transfer them to a greased cookie pan and
put them in the oven at about °350 for 20
minuets or so. Leave the light on and peak
in to be sure they don’t burn or get too dry.
I like a little Aioli with mine…………or
you could use Shrimp Cocktail or Tarter
Sauce. Here one is served with a baked
Sweet Potato, Bread, sliced Tomatoes and
Avocados, Juice and plenty of pills for us
old poots.
You could also break them up and serve
them as Tapas.
Tapas