Crab Beignets

[Sponsored] Chef Paul Virant lives, eats and creates in Illinois as the chef and owner of the acclaimed Perennial Virant and Vie restaurants. Virant adds dimension to his crab beignets with roasted Meyer lemon, pickled jalapeno mayonnaise, and candied pistachios.

Chef Paul is a member of the SAVEUR Tastemaker board, a group of 20 hand-selected chefs from across the country.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup water

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. Coleman's dry English mustard

1 oz. butter

⅓ cup flour

1 egg

8 oz. cooked lump crabmeat

1 tbsp. dill

2 heads of romaine, washed split it half

pepper, to taste

1 Meyer lemon, juice only

quarter lemon

1 pickled jalapeno, seeded and chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup candied pistachios

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat a deep fryer to 350°F. Preheat a grill. Combine water, salt, mustard and butter in a medium-sauce pan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat, and add the flour until it forms a paste. Transfer paste into stand-up mixer with a paddle and mix in egg until smooth. Fold in the crab and chopped dill.

2. Season romaine leaves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on high for 3 minutes, finishing with lemon juice. Pan roast the Meyer lemon wedges in olive oil for two minutes.

3. Finely chop the pickled jalapeno and fold into mayonnaise. Drop 1 tablespoon of crab mixture into deep fryer, yields approximately 20 beignets. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Place each romaine half on four plates. Dress the romaine with the jalapeno mayonnaise and garnish with 5 beignets per plate and candied pistachios. Serve.