Ybor City Crab Croquettes

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves 
• 1 pound claw crab meat flaked drained
• 3 cups cracker crumbs 
• 6  eggs beaten
• 36 servings croquette dough 
• 1.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 0.5 cup bell pepper green finely chopped
• 1.5 cups milk 
• 3 small onions finely chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon bell pepper red hot finely chopped
• 1.8 teaspoons salt divided
• 0.5 teaspoon sugar 
• 6 ounce tomato paste canned
• 0.3 cup vegetable oil 
• 36 servings additional vegetable oil 

Equipment

• frying pan
• mixing bowl

Directions

1. Prepare Croquette Dough. Refrigerate 2 hours.
2. Saut onion, garlic, green pepper, and red pepper in 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet 15 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Cover and simmer 15 minutes over low heat.
3. Add crab meat; cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl.
6. Remove and discard bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
7. Shape Croquette Dough into 36 two-inch balls. Press each ball into a 4-inch circle.
8. Place 1 tablespoon chilled crab meat mixture in center of each circle. Fold dough around crab meat mixture to form boat-shaped croquette, sealing edges.
9. Combine eggs, milk, remaining salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl; beat well.
10. Combine cracker crumbs and flour in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Dip each croquette in egg mixture; dredge in cracker crumb mixture. Repeat dipping and dredging procedure to heavily coat croquettes. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
11. Fry croquettes, a few at a time, in deep hot oil (37
12. until golden brown.
13. Drain well.
14. Serve hot.