# Seafood Lollipops



## Brook (May 27, 2009)

This is a rather complex dish to make, but the end result is fun. And it really impresses guests if you serve it as a first course or put them out on a buffet.

The whole thing grew out of my attemps to make a seafood sausage, several years ago. After much experimenting I came up with a perfect blend of fin- and shellfish. The forcemeat works perfectly for sausages and seafood burgers (you'll need to add some breadcrumbs for burgers). For the lollipops you want to omit the crayfish.

*Seafood Forcemeat*

1 lb raw shirmp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb raw talapia, cod, or other mild fish
6 oz crab meat, cooked
12 oz crayfish tails, cooked
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1 tbls dry tarragon
2 tbls parsley, minced
3/4 tsp white pepper
2 egg whites
2 tbls cream

Cut tilapia in small pieces. Toss tilapia with the shrimp, crabmeat, tarragon, parsley, fennel seed and pepper so spices are evenly distributed. Run through medium plate in grinder.

Mix in the crayfish tails evenly.

Lightly beat egg whites with cream. Incorporate into seafood mixture.

*for sausages:*

Lay a square of film wrap on work surface. Spoon a row of the forcemeat onto the film, spreading it about four inches long. Tightly wrap the film around forcemeat, shaping into a small log. Twist and tie the ends.

Poach the sausages in stock until cooked through. 

To serve, unwrap the sausages and serve with your favorite seafood sauce (tarrgon butter goes particularly well with them, as does Mayonaisse Charles).

*for lollipops:*

Omit crayfish from forcemeat. 

Bring a seafood stock to simmer.* Drop forcemeat by tablespoonsfull into liquid. Let poach just long enough for a "skin" to form. Remove from liquid and let cool.

Prepare a cornmeal beer batter, keeping it on the thin side. 

Push a skewer or ice-cream stick into each seafood ball. Dust with cornstarch and dip into batter, making sure some of the batter adheres to the stick. 

Deep fry at 350F until brown and crisp on the outside.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. 

*If you don't have seafood stock handy, mix equal parts clam juice and white wine.


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