Crusty Crab Poppers
Ingredients:
1 lb lump crab meat
1 box of Jiffy cornmuffin mix
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
8 oz shredded chedar cheese
1 large egg
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
½ cup milk
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
oil, for frying
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Roll the mixture into balls, just slightly smaller than the size of golf balls. Set on parchment paper or a baking sheet.
In a large, high walled pot or a wok, heat oil over medium-high. You want to make sure there is enough oil to cover ⅔ of the crab balls.
Test the oil to see if it's ready by dipping the end (handle-side) of a wooden spoon in the oil. If the oil begins to bubble, it's ready. If not, let it sit a bit longer.
Once the oil is ready, drop in 4-5 crab balls. Reduce the heat slightly and let them cook until a deep orangey-brown, turning occasionally. Remove the poppers from the oil and let them drain on a paper towel. Once they're cool enough to handle, cut a ball in half to check. If the inside is cooked well, then continue to cook the poppers in the same manner. If the inside seems to have cooked less than the outside, then reduce the heat of the oil and try again, leaving the poppers in for slightly longer until they reach the proper color
