Ordinarily, during Mardi Gras and the weeks leading up to Lent, blue crab is a fixture on restaurant menus in New Orleans. This year, however, the seafood staple was noticeably absent due to a 30-day commercial crabbing ban, which was put into effect by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at the end of February to protect the health of the fishery. When the ban ended last week, Crescent City chefs, including Justin Devillier, executive chef and owner of La Petite Grocery, were eager to get fresh local crabs back on the menu. “I wish I had the time to catch them myself,” says the avid fisherman and hunter. “But we have fantastic crabbers who fish all day.”
Among his favorite dishes to make with the sweet, tender shellfish are these blue crab beignets, which have been a standout at La Petite Grocery since 2007, and are surprisingly home-cook friendly. No fresh blue crabs near you? No worries. Devillier says the recipe is easily adapted. “In southeast Louisiana, we get blue crabs at the pinnacle of freshness,” he says, “but I would recommend selecting the finest of what’s available in your region, whether that’s stone crabs in Florida or peekytoe in the mid-Atlantic.” Serve with a side of remoulade for dipping. “Any mayonnaise-based dip with some acidity will work really well.”
