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Blue Crab Beignets

Source of Recipe

From "The New Orleans Kitchen" by Justin Devillier


Recipe Introduction

"Many years ago, I was combing through cookbooks, looking for a garnish for a Cajun court bouillon, or Louisiana-style braised fish stew. I came across a recipe for salt cod fritters in Thomas Keller's 'Bouchon,' and I thought the same method would work if I filled the fritters with a creamy crab mixture. So I changed a few things in the batter, swapped the brandade for mascarpone, and traded cod for local blue crab. Needless to say, these didn't remain a garnish for long. They were such a hit, I had to start serving them at La Petite Grocery as an appetizer, and they are still, to this day, the most popular item on the menu. And what's not to love? It's essentially a cheesy crab doughnut. There would be a riot if I ever removed these from the menu, but if you can't make it to the restaurant, here's how to make them at home. This is one of the more technical recipes in the book, so don't be discouraged if your first few beignets are a little misshapen. The batter can be tricky to work with because it's so loose, but practice a few times and you'll soon nail it."

List of Ingredients

Filling:
â—¦  ½ small shallot, finely chopped
â—¦  6 ounces fresh blue crabmeat, picked over for shells
â—¦  â…“ cup mascarpone
â—¦  1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
â—¦  Pinch of kosher salt

Batter:
â—¦  1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦  â…“ cup cornstarch
â—¦  1 tablespoon baking powder
â—¦  ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
â—¦  1 cup amber lager

â—¦  Vegetable oil for frying (about 1 quart)
â—¦  Kosher salt


Recipe

To make the filling:
Combine the shallot, crabmeat, mascarpone, chives, and salt in a mixing bowl. Gently fold to combine. The mixture will be tacky and creamy. Set aside. The crab mixture can be made up to 4 hours ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

To make the batter:
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the beer, and continue whisking just until blended (the batter will be thick).

When ready to fry, pour the oil to a depth of at least 3 inches into a Dutch oven or large saucepan fitted with a clip-on deep-fry thermometer. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reads 375° F. Line a plate with paper towels.

Measure 1 heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture, roll it into a loose ball, and drop it into the bowl of batter. Spoon batter over the crab mixture to coat it evenly. Lift the crab from the batter with the spoon, trying to collect as much batter on the spoon as possible, along with the filling. This will help to form a nice "shell" while frying. Gently slide or carefully drop the beignet into the oil from just above the surface.

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add a few more beignets to the pot and fry, turning occasionally, until crisp and deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. The beignets probably won't stick to the pot, but if one does, don't try to pop it off immediately. Leave it alone until it releases naturally or it pops off easily. It will separate when it's well cooked; if you try to remove it before it is, you'll rip a hole in the beignet and everything will leak out and dirty your cooking oil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beignets to the paper towels to drain and season with salt. Repeat with remaining crab balls, letting the oil return to 375° F before cooking each new batch. Serve hot.

Makes 8 to 12 beignets