Food Recipes Appetizers Seafood Appetizers Mini Deviled Crab Cornbread Muffins 2.7 (3) 3 Reviews At his dinner parties in Harlem, chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls pairs creamy, slightly spicy, fresh deviled crab with tender corn muffins, barely sweetened with brown sugar and studded with corn kernels, for a quick one-bite appetizer. Choose fresh crab over pasteurized for the best flavor. By Alexander Smalls Alexander Smalls Alexander Smalls, James-Beard-Award-winning chef, author, and raconteur, was the visionary co-owner of renowned restaurants The Cecil and Minton's in the heart of historic Harlem. Critically acclaimed, Minton's was the birthplace of BeBop in the 1930s and The Cecil was New York City's first Afro-Asian-American restaurant. Smalls' cookbook, Between Harlem and Heaven, won a 2019 James Beard Award. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 2, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Kelly Marshall Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 35 mins Yield: 12 servings Ingredients Deviled Crab 4 ounces fresh lump crabmeat (about 3/4 cup), drained and picked 1/4 cup panko 2 scallions, finely chopped 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño 3/4 teaspoon paprika 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste Muffins 1/3 cup fine yellow or white cornmeal (about 1 1/4 ounces) 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces) 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup buttermilk 2 large eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen yellow corn kernels (about 2 1/4 ounces) Cooking spray Finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish Directions Make the deviled crab Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together crabmeat, panko, scallions, mayonnaise, jalapeño, paprika, salt, celery seeds, and cayenne in a small bowl until crabmeat breaks apart into shreds and mixture is evenly combined. Set aside. Make the muffins Whisk together cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, coriander, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and oil in a small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to cornmeal mixture; whisk until smooth. Stir in corn kernels. Lightly grease (with cooking spray) a 24-cup miniature muffin pan. Divide cornmeal mixture evenly among muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon each). Spoon about 1 1/4 teaspoons deviled crab in center of batter in each cup. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove muffins from pan, and place on a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve warm. Make ahead Deviled crab mixture can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Muffins can be baked up to 2 hours ahead and reheated in a 200°F oven until just warm, 3 to 5 minutes. Suggested pairing Lively, lemony white. Originally appeared: October 2020 Rate It Print