Hello from Atlanta, where Im hard at work eating and drinking my way around the 1st Annual Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. Been having a great time, and cant wait to share some of the great things Ive tasted with you, hopefully in video form.
In the meantime, here is a little Ham and Eggs video I did before I left. Sure it tastes the same as if you cooked them separately, but thats really not the point. This looks cool, and besides, you only need one pan. Enjoy!
This is my video recipe version of the famous French fricassee, Coq au Vin, which means, "rooster in wine." The reason that this delicious braised dish traditionally uses an old rooster is its generous amounts of connective tissue, like collagen, which breaks down to form an extra rich and sticky sauce. This gooey goodness is one thing all great stewed recipes have in common.
Having said that, my neighborhood grocery store suffers from a chronic lack of tough, old roosters. There are lots of old hens, but thats a joke for another post. So, this version uses chicken thighs, which are still very delicious, and make the recipe much easier to prep, and faster to cook.
A couple of things to keep in mind when making this dish - Make sure the mushrooms are quartered, instead of sliced. This really gives them a meatier texture. Why? I dont know, just do it. And for heavens sake, buy some shallots this time. Every grocery store with a parking lot has them now, so why do you keep leaving them out? They are just as easy to use as onions and garlic, and their flavor is fantastic in this recipe. Enjoy! Click here for ingredients and transcript
I was originally going to call these “crab and corn cupcakes,” but since I’ve still not perfected my bacon frosting recipe, I decided to hold off and go with the slightly less exciting sounding “crab-stuffed corn muffins.” And no, I’m not kidding about the bacon frosting.
Besides, since these were inspired by the food wish for new, easy and interesting football party snacks, I think “muffins” sounds a little more gridiron than cupcakes. Regardless, they were simple to make, and (as I tested personally) quite delicious eaten while watching a football game, possibly with beer(s).
As some of you longtime viewers may have noticed, this is a variation on something we posted many years ago called “Kernel Porkers Barbecued Pork-Stuffed Corn Muffins,” and I always wondered how it would be with crabmeat. When I got the usual autumn avalanche of football-themed food wishes, I figured the time was right to find out, and I was very happy with the results!
As I mention in the video, they reminded me of a New England crab or lobster roll, where they simply pile warm, buttery seafood on those toasted rolls. This was heavier, but just as pleasurable. Anyway, unlike the replacement referees that are now calling the games, these didn’t suck, and certainly won’t be a season-long embarrassment to the league. I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 12 Crab-stuffed Corn Muffins For the crab filling:
8 oz crabmeat
1 1/2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp crushed red chili sauce
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
2 oz grated pepper Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)
salt to taste
For the corn muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp minced green onions
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup melted butter
Bake at 375 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm. View the complete recipe
