If the crisped brown puffs at the very French Bastille restaurant look suspiciously like Southern hush puppies, the answer lies in the Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, restaurant’s previous incarnation. It was a cafe owned by a New Orleans native who served his hometown specialties. Incoming chef-owners Christophe and Michelle Poteaux paid homage by keeping some of that essence on their menu, refining one recipe in particular while they were working at the Watergate before opening Bastille in 2006.
Customer demand has kept those savory fritters on the menu ever since, most recently loaded with rock shrimp and served with a harissa-spiked aioli. They are light and airy on the inside, deliciously crisp on the outside – and surprisingly easy to whip up for a crowd.
Bastille savory beignets
Pour enough vegetable or peanut oil into a heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of at least 4 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Meanwhile, whisk together 3 cups flour, 21/2 teaspoons baking powder, 11/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, the finely grated zests of 2 lemons and 1 orange and 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley in a mixing bowl.
Whisk together 11/2 cups milk and 4 large eggs in a separate bowl, then stir into the flour mixture to form a thick batter. Pour in 4 tablespoons melted/cooled, unsalted butter and stir just until incorporated; the batter will become shiny.
(At this point, the batter can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface.) Stir in 11/2 pounds cooked, chopped, patted-dry crawfish meat just until evenly distributed.
Use two soup spoons to drop walnut-size dollops of batter into the hot oil, cooking no more than 6 at a time. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, or until deeply browned and cooked through. (Test a solo one first.) Transfer to the rack; immediately sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat to use all the batter. Serve warm.
Makes 5 to 7 servings (25 to 30 pieces)
— Bonnie S. Benwick, The Washington Post
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