Ultimate Shrimp-Crawfish-Crab Croquette Burger with Garlic Aioli
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 8 servings
- Total: 1 hr 13 min
- Prep: 35 min
- Inactive: 30 min
- Cook: 8 min
Ingredients
Garlic Aioli:
4 egg yolks*
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
10 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Shrimp-Crawfish-Crab Croquettes:
1 cup long-grain rice (recommended: Zatarain's)
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded jalapenos
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
8 ounces crawfish tail meat, chopped
8 ounces crabmeat
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning, recipe follows
Saltine cracker crumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
Shiner Bock Beer Bread, recipe follows or 8 French bread rolls
8 slices Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno, shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, sliced pickles and/or pickled jalapenos for garnish
Spicy potato chips
Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Shiner Bock Beer Bread:
1 package rapid rise dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/4 cup honey
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 1/2 cups
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
One 12-ounce Shiner Bock Beer, at room temperature (or your favorite beer)
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter, melted
Directions
- For the aioli, combine the egg yolks, mustard and garlic cloves in a food processor. While processing, add 1 cup of the olive oil in a fine stream to make an emulsion. Add lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne, then add the remaining oil and process until thick and smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
- For the croquettes, cook the rice in 2 cups of boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Add the butter while the rice is still hot. In a mixing bowl, stir flour and eggs to make a light batter. Add rice, green onions and jalapenos; mix well. Add shrimp, crawfish, crabmeat, lemon juice and seasonings. Combine until incorporated but DO NOT OVERMIX to not break up crabmeat. Refrigerate this mixture for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Shape the mixture into patties the size of buns and about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick and coat with cracker crumbs. (An ice cream scoop helps keep portion sizes the same.) Heat oil in a 10-inch iron skillet until bubbles come up from the bottom of a wooden spoon when inserted. Oil should be hot but not smoking. Fry the croquettes over medium to medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel. Season with a sprinkle of salt.
- Grill halved rolls over medium heat until toasted. Spread garlic aioli on each half. Place 1 croquette on bottom half of roll; top with slice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles/jalapenos. Top with other half roll. Serve with your favorite spicy potato chips.
Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning:
- Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.
Shiner Bock Beer Bread:
- In a large non metal mixing bowl, dissolve yeast with warm water, add honey and stir. Allow yeast to activate and begin to bloom. Add 4 cups flour, salt, oil, beer and beaten eggs.
- Stir with wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed. Turn out and onto heavily floured surface. Work this flour into the dough, by kneading 10 to 15 minutes as the dough will be sticky. Knead until smooth and it "comes back" when pushed with your finger. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, roll dough to coat, cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until doubled in size.
- When dough has doubled, punch down in the middle and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough into 8 to 12 (3-inch) rolls. Smooth, place on baking sheets and brush with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise a second time until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with melted butter and cover with waxed paper until cooled.