Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or deep heavy pot (at least 5-quart)
• •Clip-on deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire rack set over a baking sheet
• •Spider strainer or slotted spoon
• •Small cookie scoop or two tablespoons

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the remoulade first

   Whisk together the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. The color should be pale pink with flecks of paprika throughout. Taste it now and adjust the heat and tang to your liking. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the beignets. This sauce gets better as the flavors marry, so making it first gives it time to develop.

   The remoulade should have a pleasant kick that builds slowly. If you want more heat, add hot sauce in small increments until it makes you smile.
2. 2

   Season the crawfish

   Place the drained crawfish tails in a bowl and sprinkle with half the Cajun seasoning. Toss gently to coat. This is the first layer of flavor, seasoning the protein itself before it ever meets the batter. Let it sit while you prepare the vegetables. The crawfish will absorb those spices and carry them into every bite.

3. 3

   Sauté the holy trinity

   Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, bell pepper, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about five to six minutes. The vegetables should be tender but not browned. Add the garlic in the last minute of cooking. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature. These aromatics form the backbone of flavor in every beignet.

   Cooling the vegetables matters. Hot vegetables will start cooking the eggs in your batter and throw off the texture entirely.
4. 4

   Build the batter

   Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, remaining Cajun seasoning, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Beat the eggs with the milk and pour into the well. Stir from the center outward until you have a thick, smooth batter with no dry pockets. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter, falling in ribbons from your spoon.

5. 5

   Fold in the filling

   Add the cooled trinity vegetables, seasoned crawfish, and the green parts of the green onions to the batter. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the crawfish is evenly distributed. You want every bite to have its fair share. Taste a small bit of raw batter. It should taste seasoned and alive with flavor. If it tastes flat, add another pinch of salt.

6. 6

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a large Dutch oven or deep heavy pot to a depth of three inches. Set over medium-high heat and bring to 360 degrees. Use a clip-on thermometer so you can monitor constantly. The oil temperature is everything with frying. Too cool and the beignets absorb grease and turn soggy. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through.

   Peanut oil gives you a higher smoke point and cleaner flavor than vegetable oil, but either works fine. Never use olive oil for deep frying.
7. 7

   Fry in batches

   Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pot: fry five or six at a time, leaving room for them to bob and turn. They will sink briefly, then float to the surface as the batter puffs. Fry for three to four minutes total, turning once halfway through, until deep golden brown all over. The sizzle should be active but not violent. Listen to your oil.

   If your oil drops below 350 degrees between batches, pause and let it recover. Rushing leads to greasy beignets, and nobody wants that.
8. 8

   Drain and season immediately

   Transfer the fried beignets to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. This keeps the bottoms from getting soggy. While they are still glistening with oil, hit them with a light sprinkle of kosher salt. The salt sticks best when the surface is hot. Keep finished beignets warm in a 200 degree oven while you fry the remaining batches.

9. 9

   Serve with ceremony

   Pile the hot beignets on a platter lined with a cloth napkin. Scatter fresh parsley over the top. Set the bowl of remoulade in the center or alongside. These are meant to be eaten immediately, while the outside is still crisp and the inside is pillowy. Pass them around and watch them disappear. That's the bayou way.

Chef Tips

• •Louisiana crawfish is non-negotiable. If you cannot find fresh or frozen Louisiana tail meat, wait until you can. Imported crawfish from Asia has a different flavor and texture that will disappoint you.
• •Make the remoulade the night before if you have the time. It develops a deeper, more complex flavor after sitting in the refrigerator overnight.
• •If your beignets are browning too fast on the outside, your oil is too hot. If they are pale and greasy, the oil is too cool. Trust your thermometer, not your instincts, until you have fried a few hundred batches.
• •These pair beautifully with a cold Abita Amber or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The acidity cuts through the richness and makes you reach for another beignet.

Advance Preparation

• •The remoulade can be made up to five days ahead and refrigerated. The flavors improve with time.
• •The batter can be made up to two hours ahead and refrigerated, but it fries best when freshly mixed. The baking powder loses some lift if it sits too long.
• •Fried beignets do not store well. Make them fresh and serve immediately. This is not make-ahead food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 150g)