Crispy Crab and Okra Hushpuppy Bites
Bite-size hushpuppies fold in sweet crab and tender okra, then fry golden for a Southern-inspired snack with lemony remoulade.
Prep: 12 · Cook: 15 · Total: 27 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.9/5 (96 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
This original snack puts lump crab and fresh okra inside crisp Southern-style hushpuppies. A lemony, spicy dip keeps the cornmeal shells bright and makes the bites easy to pass around.
Story
Theo wanted a snack that could handle a paper-lined tray and still bring some coastal swagger. Crab keeps the center sweet, okra gives it a little green snap, and the hot dip takes the whole thing down the highway. Fry a batch, set out the sauce, and watch the plate empty.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced okra
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 6 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over
- Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, paprika, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the okra and scallions, then whisk the egg and buttermilk in a second bowl and add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the crab gently until just combined, taking care not to break up every lump.
- Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy skillet to 350 F, then drop in rounded tablespoons of batter with space between them.
- Fry for 2 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through, then drain on a rack and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Stir hot sauce into the lemon mayonnaise, season the hushpuppies to taste, and serve them warm with the dip.
Chef Tips
- Pat the crab dry if it is packed in liquid so the batter stays thick.
- Do not crowd the skillet, or the oil temperature will drop and the hushpuppies will turn greasy.
- A small cookie scoop makes evenly sized bites that finish at the same time.
- For a milder dip, replace the hot sauce with chopped dill pickles.
Cook's Notes
- **Crab:** Pat it dry and fold gently.
- **Oil:** Hold it near 350 F for crisp shells.
- **Batching:** Leave room between bites.
- **Dip:** Add hot sauce to taste.