Artichoke And Crab Beignets With Remoulade

2 Whole artichokes
Salt
Bay leaf
1 Lemon; halved
1/2 Teaspoon Liquid crab boil
1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1/2 Cup Chopped onions
Salt
Cayenne
1 Teaspoon Chopped garlic
1/2 Pound Fresh crabmeat; picked for cartilage
3 Eggs; beaten
1-1/2 Cup Milk
2 Teaspoon Baking powder
3 1/4 Cup Flour
1 Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 Dash Crystal hot sauce
1 Tablespoon Chopped parsley
Solid vegetable shortening for deep frying
Creole seasoning
2 Cup Remoulade sauce; recipe follows

Trim off the stems and thorny tips of the artichoke. Put them in a deep pot
and cover with water. Add salt, bay leaf, lemon halves, and crab boil. Bring
to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until tender.
Remove and drain. Cool slightly and remove the fuzzy choke from the center.
Remove the leaves to expose the heart. Slice thinly and set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Season with
salt and cayenne. Saute the onions until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the
thinly sliced artichokes and the garlic. Season with salt and cayenne. Saute
for 1 minute. Add the crabmeat and saute for another minute. Remove and set
aside to cool.

Make a batter by combining the eggs, milk, and baking powder in a mixing
bowl. Mix well. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating and incorporating
until all of the flour is used and the batter is smooth. Season with salt,
cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Mix well. Stir in the parsley.
Add the artichoke and crab mixture to the batter and fold to mix.

Heat the shortening to 360 degrees F. Drop the batter, a heaping tablespoon
at a time, into the hot oil. When the beignets pop to the surface, roll them
around with a slotted spoon in the oil to brown them evenly. Remove and
drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the beignets with Creole seasoning. Serve
with the Remoulade.

Yield: about 2 dozen