Description
These Spicy Crawfish Hush Puppies are a delightful Southern appetizer featuring tender crawfish tails mixed into a flavorful cornmeal batter, deep-fried to golden perfection. Served with a zesty Creole dipping sauce, they offer a perfect balance of heat and tang, ideal for parties or a flavorful snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Hush Puppies
- 1/2 pound crawfish tails, cooked and chopped
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Vegetable oil for frying
Creole Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. This mixture forms the flavorful base of the hush puppy batter.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, beaten egg, chopped green onions, and chopped fresh parsley. This will add moisture and freshness to the batter.
- Combine Mixtures and Add Crawfish: Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined, then carefully fold in the chopped crawfish tails ensuring even distribution without overmixing to keep the hush puppies light.
- Heat Oil: In a deep fryer or a heavy skillet, heat vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C), ensuring the oil is hot enough for frying but not smoking.
- Fry Hush Puppies: Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook each piece for 2-3 minutes until they turn a crispy golden brown, turning occasionally for even cooking.
- Drain and Serve: Remove the hush puppies with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve warm alongside the Creole dipping sauce.
- Prepare Creole Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, lemon juice, Creole seasoning, and chopped fresh parsley until smooth and well combined.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Sprinkle additional finely chopped fresh parsley over the hush puppies or dipping sauce for a fresh and vibrant finish.
Notes
- For a spicier bite, increase cayenne pepper or hot sauce in the dipping sauce.
- Make sure oil temperature stays steady at 350°F to ensure crispy, non-greasy hush puppies.
- Use fresh crawfish tails for best flavor, but frozen can be substituted if needed.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the hush puppies at their crispiest texture.
- Leftover hush puppies can be reheated in an air fryer for a few minutes to regain crispiness.
