Crawfish Boulettes with Spunky Tartar Sauce

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, green onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for about 7 minutes, until soft. Then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and place them in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until breadcrumbs are formed. Into the breadcrumbs, add the cooled vegetable mixture, the crawfish tails, the egg, salt, pepper, Tabasco and cayenne. Pulse several times until everything is finely chopped and well combined. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot to 360ºF (when you throw a small cube of bread in the oil, it should immediately start sizzling and turning into a crouton, but not burning).

Meanwhile, form the boulettes: Place beaten eggs in a small bowl. Combine flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in another bowl. Scoop the crawfish mixture into golfball-sized balls, gently coat in beaten egg, then gently dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Handle them lightly, for they are fragile as angel wings. Set them on a plate while you continue dredging the rest of the crab balls.

When oil is hot, gently lower boulettes into the oil in batches to avoid overcrowding, and fry for about 2–3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove them to paper-towel-lined plates using a slotted spoon. Continue frying the rest of the boulettes. Let them drain and cool for several minutes before eating.

For tartar sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl until well-combined. Taste for seasoning; I didn’t need to add any salt, but you might want some.