Recipe - Deep-Fried Crab Balls Wjicama-Pepper Panache

Panache
1 Yellow bell pepper;
julienned
2 cup Jicama; julienned
1 cup Yellow onion; cut or sliced up thin
1 Jalapeno; finely chopped
4 Limes
1 Orange
Salt to taste
Crab Balls
One half pound Capellini; cooked al dente
1 pound Crab meat; picked over
3 Scallion; finely chopped
4 Eggs; lightly beaten
Three fourths cup Parmesan cheese; freshly
grated
1 teaspoon Salt
One half teaspoon Pepper
Cayenne to taste
Oil for deep frying
Garnish
1 Avocado; cut or sliced up
Cilantro

Make the panache the day before serving. Mix the pepper, jicama, onions,
and chili in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the limes and orange and pour
over the vegetables. Toss with a little salt and allow to marinate
overnight, stirring occasionally. To make the crab balls, mix all the
ingredients together in a bowl. Toss with your hands, breaking up the pasta
slightly and making sure the ingredients are well mixed. Form into 35 balls
about the size of a walnut and fry in 350F fat until golden brown. Remove
from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and keep warm in
a 150F oven while completing the frying process. To serve, place 4 to 6
crab alls on each plate with some of the panache next to them. Garnish with
2 avacado slices and a few sprigs of cilantro. Note: The crab mixture can
be made the day before serving and kept refrigerated, tightly covered with
plastic wrap. If the balls are fried in advance, or if there are leftovers,
reheat them in a 400F oven for a few minutes to crisp.
Serving Ideas : hors d'Oeuvres

NOTES : Southwest Tastes