Ybor City Deviled Crabs...
This is my favorite food of all... we used to have Deviled Crab Parties in the Hampton families.. looked for this recipe for many years... it works perfectly but is labor intensive. Hope you enjoy it.... Jeff
Traditional Ybor City Devil Crabs
Ingredients
3 loaves stale American bread, crusts removed1 loaf stale Cuban bread, grounded in the food processor (fine small pieces
3 onions, finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
6 oz. tomato paste
1 lb. crab meat (can or fresh)
3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 milk
1 cup cracker meal
1 tbsp. paprika
salt
6 tbps. olive oil
2 tsp. lousiana red pepper sauce (or to taste)
sugar
oil for deep frying
Instructions
First, you must make the dough. Take the American bread and soak in water for 15 minutes. Afterwards, take out the bread and squeeze out until almost dry. Place in bowl. Begin to mix in Cuban bread, which you previously ground finely. At the same time, throw in paprika and 1 tsp. of salt. Mix until you reach a dough consistency. Refrigerate for 2 1/2 hours.While your dough is in the refrigerator, you can start making your filling. Start by heating your virgin olive oil in a large frying pan, set on a low to medium setting. Sautee your onion, bell pepper, and red pepper sauce for 15 minutes. Afterwards, add 1 tsp. of salt, tomato paste, 1/2 tsp. sugar, and crab meat. Cook for 10 minutes. Place in bowl, and then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Once everything has cooled, you can begin forming your croquette. Take 3 tbsp. of bread dough, press against your palm, and then place 1 tbsp. of crab filling in middle. Close the dough, to form the croquette. Then, take it and place in an wash, made with egg, milk, salt and pepper. Once you dunk the croquette in the wash, dip it into a cracker meal and flour mixture. Repeat both steps. Let the croquette rest for a couple of minutes, (you could freeze for later use at this time) and then place in oil at 360 degrees. After the croquette turns brown, take it out, place it on a paper towel. To serve, slightly split down the middle, add more crab sauce, then squeeze fresh lemon and Red Pepper over the top.