Crawfish Beignets

This recipe concept started making the rounds in New Orleans and eventually caught on across the Gulf Coast – wherever crawfish are boiled. The name “beignet,” though, is a bit romanticized since the dish has more in common with the fritters made with tenderized conch meat in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas and other tropical outposts in the Caribbean.

Citrus Remoulade:

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lime zest

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

½ teaspoon lemon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 ¼ cup canola oil

½ teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon finely chopped cornichons

Beignets:

½ pound crawfish tails, finely chopped

¼ red bell pepper, minced

2 tablespoons minced green onion

21 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon minced jalapeno or other hot pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

Oil for frying

¾ cup whole milk

Creole seasoning

In a food processor or blender, combine the egg yolks, lime zest, orange juice, Creole seasoning, lemon pepper and garlic powder until smooth. Slowly incorporate the oil until he sauce is thick. Stir in the remaining remoulade ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the beignets by combining the chopped crawfish in a bowl with the bell pepper, green onion, garlic, hot pepper, parsley and butter. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.

Heat oil in a deep pan to 375 degrees. Stir the flour mixture into the conch mixture, then add the milk to form a batter. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the beignets to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning. Serve hot with Citrus Remoulade. Makes about 16 fritters.