Keahole Dungeness Crab Stuffed Gougeres Recipe
Make Keahole Dungeness Crab Stuffed Gougeres Recipe in just 2h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Gougere Batter
Dungeness Crab Filling
Assembly & Finish
Method
Gougere Batter
- 1
Preheat and prepare
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a large pastry bag with a 1/2–3/4 inch plain round tip (or use a 1/2" plain tip) and set aside.
- 2
Make the choux
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 cups water, 1 cup whole milk, 1.5 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Bring to a vigorous simmer so butter is melted and mixture is just boiling.
- 3
Add flour and cook paste
Remove pan from heat and add 2 cups all-purpose flour all at once. Return to medium heat and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and a film forms on the bottom of the pan, about 1–2 minutes. This cooks the flour.
- 4
Cool slightly and incorporate eggs
Transfer the paste to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl). Let cool 3–4 minutes to avoid cooking the eggs. Using the paddle, add 6 large eggs one at a time, mixing 30–45 seconds between additions until batter is smooth, glossy, and falls in a thick ribbon. If batter seems too loose, stop adding eggs; if too thick, add another beaten egg, 1 tbsp at a time, up to 1 extra.
- 5
Finish batter
Fold in 1 cup grated Parmesan, 3 tbsp finely chopped chives and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper with a spatula until evenly distributed. Transfer batter to the prepared pastry bag.
- 6
Pipe and bake
Pipe 1 1/4–1 1/2 inch rounds (about 1.5 tbsp each) onto the prepared sheets, spacing 1.5 inches apart. Lightly beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp heavy cream and brush tops lightly. Sprinkle extra grated Parmesan (about 2 tbsp total evenly across both sheets). Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 10–12 minutes until puffed and deep golden. Do not open oven while baking.
- 7
Dry and cool
Turn oven off, crack door slightly, and let gougeres sit in oven 10 minutes to dry (prevents collapse). Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes before filling. Using a small serrated knife, cut a small slit or twist off top of each gougère to create a cavity.
Dungeness Crab Filling
- 8
Sauté aromatics
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Add 1 minced shallot and 1 minced garlic clove and sauté until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes, without browning.
- 9
Deglaze and flavor
Add 2 tbsp dry white wine and cook 1–2 minutes to reduce most of the liquid. Remove from heat and let cool 2–3 minutes.
- 10
Combine filling
In a medium bowl, gently fold together 12 oz picked Dungeness crab meat, the cooled shallot-garlic mixture, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 tbsp light mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp hot sauce (optional), 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning carefully to highlight the crab (add more lemon or salt sparingly). Keep filling chilled until ready to assemble.
Assembly & Finish
- 11
Fill the gougeres
Using a small spoon or a small plain piping tip fitted to a pastry bag, fill each cooled gougère cavity with about 1 tablespoon of crab filling. Avoid overfilling so tops can be replaced. Reserve any extra filling for passing alongside the plates.
- 12
Bake briefly (optional warming)
If you prefer the filling warmed, place filled gougeres on a baking sheet and warm in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 4–6 minutes — do not overbake, the crab is already cooked. Otherwise serve at room temperature.
- 13
Garnish and serve
Arrange stuffed gougeres on a platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp finely chopped chives and a light dusting of extra grated Parmesan. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. These are best served within 1 hour of assembly for crisp shells; leftover filling can be refrigerated up to 2 days.
