A classic accompaniment to fried catfish below the Mason Dixon, hushpuppies could easily be substituted for fries in a quintessential New England fish and chips. Crawfish tails give this recipe from Carey Dobies a little bit of a Louisiana accent. Look for frozen crawfish tails at your local market or order fresh ones online.
Crawfish Hushpuppies
Details
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces crawfish tails
- 4 green onions, sliced
Directions
- Heat stovetop pot of vegetable oil to 350 degrees or preheat fryer to the same temperature. (If a thermometer isn’t handy, use a small drop of the batter to test the heat of the oil. It should sizzle and float.)
- Combine wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls until incorporated.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently.
- Add the crawfish tails to the bowl and incorporate. Mix until batter is smooth and free of any lumps. The batter should be stiff.
- To test the heat of the frying oil, a small amount of batter dropped into the hot oil sizzles and floats. Do not let the oil get too hot or the center of the hushpuppies will not cook thoroughly.
- Using a two ounce scoop, gently spoon the mixture into the oil.
- After about ten seconds, the hushpuppies will float to the top and begin to brown. Fry for approximately five minutes or until golden brown, turning on all sides.
- Hushpuppies should be served hot, right from the fryer, but an oven set at 200 degrees Fahrenheit will keep them warm for 30 minutes. Serve with tartar sauce or salsa picante.
