These little crawfish fritters are also a great starter. The tender, succulent crawfish is spiced up and folded into a light batter, then fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside, warm and tender on the inside. The Cajun Mayo is slightly spicy and a perfect accompaniment. You won’t be able to eat just eat one—they are addictive.
Makes 16 to 20 beignets
4 cups (1 L) vegetable oil for deep-frying
2 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) peeled crawfish tails, or peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) My Old Bay Seasoning (page 259)
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ cups (375 mL) sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
Salt
½ cup (125 mL) milk
Sea salt and pepper
Cajun Mayonnaise (page 250)
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Sprinkle the crawfish tails with my old bay seasoning and add to the eggs. Stir in the green onions, garlic, flour, baking powder, salt to taste, and milk. The mixture should be like a thick pancake batter.
Working in batches, use a large tablespoon to carefully drop the beignet mixture into the hot oil. Fry until crispy and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beignets and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with the mayonnaise.
Here’s an idea: You can use large shrimp, peeled and deveined, in place of crawfish.