Johnnycakes With Peekytoe Crab Food

JOHNNYCAKES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and salt with meal in large mixing bowl. Scald with boiling water and stir well. Thin immediately with milk to a mixture that will drop easily from spoon (additional milk may be necessary: mixture should be consistency of thin mashed potato).
• Drop by the spoonful onto medium hot griddle greased with 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or corn oil (do not let griddle get dry). Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side until a brown, crunchy crust is formed and inside is soft. Serve hot with butter.

SMOKED SALMON AND PEEKYTOE CRAB PARFAIT

Steps:

• For the smoked salmon: Remove the blood line from the center of the salmon; cut salmon into small cubes. Harvest only the egg whites from the hard-boiled eggs and chop egg whites. Gently mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl; reserve in the refrigerator. For the mixed greens: Mix together and reserve. For the crabmeat: Mix all the ingredients together; reserve in the refrigerator. For the avocado mousse: Remove pit, peel and seed the avocados, then coarsely chop. Emulsify all the ingredients together in a blender. Adjust seasoning without over mixing, and reserve in the refrigerator. For the creme fraiche: Mix all the ingredients together; reserve in the refrigerator. For the white balsamic dressing: Place vinegar, shallots, mustard and honey in blender; puree, then slowly add oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. For the phyllo and brioche disks: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cut one of the phyllo sheets with a round cookie cutter to make 6 disks 3 to 31/2 inches in diameter. Brush the phyllo with clarified butter. Place on a baking sheet with a SILPAT® nonstick baking mat, and bake about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat the same procedure with the other phyllo sheet and with the brioche. To plate each serving: Using a round mold 3 to 31/2 inches in diameter, and starting with the brioche on the bottom, layer the salmon, the avocado mousse and the crabmeat. Garnish with the salmon roe and caviar. Place a quenelle (dollop) of creme fraiche on top of the salmon roe. Place the mold in the center of the plate and gently remove the mold, leaving the parfait in the center of the plate. Drizzle the white balsamic dressing in a half-moon shape around the parfait. Scatter the mixed greens on the plate and on the top of the parfait. Roll the edge of the phyllo disk in paprika and place vertically on top of the creme fraiche quenelle (dollop).

JOHNNYCAKES

Steps:

• Cream the cornmeal, salt, and butter together. Add the milk and enough water to make a moist but firm batter.
• Drop by large spoonfuls onto a hot greased griddle, and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. When brown, turn and cook the other side.

NAPOLEON OF PEEKY TOE CRAB AND APPLE

Steps:

• Pick over crab meat to remove any bits of shell and cartilage and if using lump crab meat lightly shred. Peel and core apple and cut enough into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/2cup plus 1 tablespoon. Peel and seed tomato and cut enough into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/3 cup. Reserve 1 tablespoon each diced apple and tomato for sauce and in a bowl combine crab meat, remaining diced apple and tomato, 1 tablespoon chives, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, tossing to combine well. Chill filling.
• In a bowl whisk together milk and remaining tablespoons lemon juice, sour cream, and mayonnaise and stir in reserved diced apple and tomato, remaining teaspoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and white pepper and salt to taste. Chill sauce while making tuiles.
• Make tuiles:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and cool slightly. In a bowl whisk together flours, sugar, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg and whisk in whites until just combined. Whisk in cream until just combined and whisk in butter until just combined. On a baking sheet spread 2 teaspoons batter in an arc shape. With a pastry brush spread batter into a 5-inch-long arc, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Make 3 more arcs with some of remaining batter in same manner, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake tuiles in middle of oven until bubbly, crisp, and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer tuiles with a thin spatula to a rack to cool and make more tuiles in same manner. (There will be enough batter to make about 26 tuiles, more than you need for the napoleons; leftovers may be used as an hors d'oeuvre.)
• Spoon 2 tablespoons filling onto a plate and top with a tuile. Make 2 more layers with 4 tablespoons filling and 2 tuiles. Make 3 more napoleons in same manner. Drizzle sauce around napoleons and garnish with tomato, chives, and curry powder.

PEEKYTOE CRAB TOAST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine crab meat, fennel fronds, serrano chile, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt; set aside.
• Drizzle bread with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bread and cook, turning once, until golden and crisp on each side.
• Remove bread from skillet and spread one side of each slice with aioli; top with crab mixture. Cut each slice of bread into quarters and top crab with a dollop of aioli. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.