La Combo Recipe

Pat all seafood dry with paper towels. Season shrimp, oysters, catfish pieces, and crawfish tails lightly with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning; set aside.

Set up a three-station breading area: (1) flour mixture (2 cups flour + 1 tsp salt + 0.5 tsp pepper + 2 tsp Cajun) in a shallow bowl; (2) wet station: 2 eggs beaten with 1 cup buttermilk and 1 cup sparkling water/beer; (3) cornmeal/seasoned mix: 1 cup cornmeal + 1 cup seasoned flour (or 1 cup flour + 1 tsp Cajun) in a wide dish.

Sauté aromatics

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tbs butter. Add 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup diced celery and 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper. Sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add 1 tsp minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

Add the 1 cup picked lump crab meat to the skillet and stir to combine gently. Cook 1–2 minutes just to warm the crab.

Stir in 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs, 2 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbs hot sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until evenly combined. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).

Form the crab mixture into 6 golf-ball–sized rounds (about 2–3 tbs each) to use as stuffed crab cakes to be breaded and fried.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 350°F (175°C). Use enough oil so items can float freely (about 3–4 inches depth).

For stuffed crab rounds: Dredge each crab ball first in the flour station, then dip into the egg/buttermilk mixture, then press into the cornmeal/seasoned mix to fully coat. Place on a tray and refrigerate 10 minutes to firm.

For shrimp and oysters: Pat pieces dry. Dredge first in flour, then egg/buttermilk, then cornmeal/seasoned mix. For oysters, be gentle when coating to avoid breaking the oyster.

For catfish pieces: Coat the same way—flour, wet, then cornmeal mix. For a lighter crust you can double-dip (wet then dry again).

For crawfish tails: Toss tails lightly in a tablespoon of seasoned flour to help adhesion, then follow the same wet/dry breading steps. You can form small loose fritters of crawfish by mixing tails with a little of the cornmeal mix and a splash of egg/buttermilk if you prefer.

Fry in batches: lower coated items into the oil and fry until golden brown. Approximate times: stuffed crab rounds 3–4 minutes, shrimp 2–3 minutes, oysters 2–3 minutes, catfish pieces 3–4 minutes, crawfish tails (as fritters) 2–3 minutes. Maintain oil at 350°F and do not overcrowd the fryer.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried items to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and season immediately with a light sprinkle of salt. Keep warm in a 200°F oven if needed while finishing remaining batches.

While frying seafood, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Stir in 2 tbs sliced scallion and 2 tbs minced onion.

In a separate bowl, beat 1 egg with 1/2 cup buttermilk. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined; batter should be thick but spoonable. If too thick, add 1–2 tbs milk or buttermilk.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil (350°F). Fry in small batches until golden brown, about 2–3 minutes, turning once. Remove to a wire rack and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Arrange fried stuffed crab, shrimp, oysters, catfish pieces, crawfish tails (or fritters) and hushpuppies on a platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

Serve immediately with tartar sauce or remoulade and additional hot sauce on the side.