Crawfish Casserole

Name: Crawfish Casserole
Yield: makes 6 servings
Ingredients: Cooking spray; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; 1 cup chopped onion; 2 pounds meat from crawfish tails (about 14 pounds whole crawfish); 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper; 1/2 cup chopped green onions, green parts only; 1 (10-ounce) container sliced white button mushrooms; 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs (see page 196); 1 egg, beaten

December 9, 2011

There is an old Louisiana legend that says that when the original Acadians fled Nova Scotia to head to Louisiana, the local lobsters followed them. During the long swim the lobsters lost a lot of weight and most of their length. By the time they reached the bayou swamps to reunite with the early Cajuns, they had turned into crawfish! Crawfish, mudbugs, or crawdads—whatever you decide to call them, they’re delicious. With Texas being so close to bayou country, we can’t help but love these cute crustaceans. Though resembling tiny lobsters, only the extremely tasty tail is edible. When they are cooked with spicy Cajun flavors, you have yourself a mighty fine treat. Just remember that Louisiana crawfish are seasonal. A consistent supply can’t be counted on except between early March and mid-June, with the height of the season mid-March to mid-May. If crawfish are not available, peeled and deveined shrimp serve as a good substitute.

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