Caribbean Oyster Fritters With Mango Relish Recipes

BEST OF THE BAY RECIPES...OYSTER FRITTERS

Steps:

• Using a whisk, beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the milk and whisk until a bit frothy. In a second, larger bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add in the egg mixture and mix until you have a smooth batter. Fold in the oysters and their liquor until they are evenly coated.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet until very hot. Ladle out 3 or 4 oysters and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 4 - 6 minutes. Remove and drain. Serve with tartar sauce or lemon slices and enjoy the first oyster harvest of the fall.

SHRIMP AND CRAB CAKE WITH TOMATILLO RELISH

Steps:

• Chop the shrimp in a food processor, until smooth consistency. Combine the mixture in a bowl with the crabmeat and minced vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 8 portions and shape into patties. Dredge the patties in flour and pan-fry them in olive oil until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes on each side.
• Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. To the boiling water add half of the tomatillos, jalapenos, onions, garlic and cilantro, cook at a low heat for 5 minutes. Let cool. Puree in a blender with the other half of the vegetables along with the lime juice and olive oil.

FRUIT RELISH

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Cook over high heat until it begins to thicken then reduce heat. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning until very thick. (3 to 5 hours in all). To speed up this process, place fruit in a colander overnight to allow some of the juices to drip out first.

AUSSIE SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE WITH MANGO RELISH

Steps:

• SHRIMP: Soak 8 (4") bamboo skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent burning. Preheat grill to medium heat. Combine all ingredients except shrimp and skewers in a small mixing bowl. Line shrimp up in vertical rows of five, all facing the same direction on a flat surface. Thread two wooden skewers, one at the head-end and one at the tail-end, through each row of five shrimp so you end up with a washboard-looking rectangle of skewered shrimp. Place shrimp on a platter and brush all over with garlic mixture. Place shrimp skewers on hot grill and cook 1-2 minutes per side.
• MANGO RELISH: Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and chile pepper until soft and fragrant. Turn off heat and stir in sugar and diced mango. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

CARIBBEAN CONCH FRITTERS WITH CILANTRO TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the conch slices in a nonreactive bowl and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the slices. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then drain and finely chop the conch meat. Set aside.
• Heat a deep-fryer filled with oil to 330 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, conch, and onion. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. In a third bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the conch mixture.
• When ready to fry the fritters, drop the batter by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and floating on the surface of the oil, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper-lined plates to drain briefly before serving. Sprinkle lightly with Essence and serve with the Cilantro Tartar Sauce.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.
• Put the egg, mustard, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and red onions in a food processor and puree for 15 seconds. With the processor running, pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Season with salt and hot sauce and pulse once or twice to blend. Cover and let sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator before using. Best if used within 24 hours.

CARIBBEAN GRILL

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together mango, red onion, bell pepper, lime juice, sugar, salt, and pepper using a wooden spoon. Set aside until ready for use.
• In a small bowl using a rubber spatula, mix the butter and curry together. Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture on 1 side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices of bread on your work surface, buttered side down. Spread the honey mustard on the other side of the bread. Place about 2 tablespoons of the mango salsa on the bread followed by the Swiss cheese. (You may need to fold the cheese slices to fit the bread.) Place the remaining 4 bread slices on top, buttered side up.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of curry butter to a nonstick skillet on medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches in the skillet (in batches if necessary) and cover with lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the underside is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. Flip the sandwiches with a spatula and press very firmly, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Turn once more, press with a spatula, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from pan and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut diagonally and serve with extra salsa on the side.