Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 15–20 Beignets

Comment:
Beignets or fritters are extremely common in Southern cuisine. Nothing makes these dishes more Louisiana than the addition of crawfish. Serve these beignets as the perfect party hors d’oeuvre or three on a plate as an appetizer.

Ingredients:
1 pound crawfish tails, cleaned
2 cups prepared rémoulade sauce
½ cup butter
¾ cup finely diced onions
½ cup finely diced celery
¼ cup finely diced green bell pepper
¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
¼ cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
¼ cup thinly sliced garlic
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
2¼ cups flour, divided
2¼ cups plain bread crumbs, divided
2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice
4 large eggs, divided
1 cup whole milk
peanut oil for frying

Method:
In a 2-gallon saucepot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, sliced garlic, green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, black pepper, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper. Sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Whisk in ¼ cup flour, stirring constantly until a white roux is achieved. Add crawfish tails and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled crawfish mixture, ¼ cup bread crumbs, rice and 2 eggs. Season to taste using salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Chill mixture 30 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together milk and remaining 2 eggs. In a second bowl, place remaining 2 cups flour. In a third bowl, place remaining 2 cups bread crumbs. When crawfish mixture is completely chilled, scoop into 1-inch rounds. Coat each ball with flour, dip into egg mixture and roll in bread crumbs. Place crawfish balls on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm or up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, pour 4 inches of peanut oil into a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat oil over medium-high heat until temperature reaches 350°F. Fry balls in batches approximately 3 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with your favorite rémoulade sauce.