Crayfish Croque Monsieur

Name: Crayfish Croque Monsieur
Yield: makes 4 to 6 sandwiches
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 2 celery stalks, diced; 1/2 medium onion, diced; 1/2 pound crayfish tails; 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (p. 181); 1/2 cup chopped scallions; 1/4 cup grated pepper Jack cheese; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; Salt and pepper; Hot sauce; 1 cup buttermilk; 1/2 cup milk; 2 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Pinch of nutmeg; 2 tablespoons butter; 4 ounces crayfish tails; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; (makes enough for 4 sandwiches); 8 slices firm white bread (such as pain de mie or Pepperidge Farm); Crayfish Filling; Butter, for frying; Buttermilk Batter; Creamy Crayfish Sauce

December 14, 2011

Crayfish and The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival seem to go hand in hand. So when it was time to do my annual cooking demo at the Fest, I created this recipe, which is a play on the beloved French bar sandwich made with ham and cheese. I’ve always loved the crispy richness of batter-dipped sandwiches. This version, stuffed with a piquant crayfish salad, steals the show from diner varieties. The creamy crayfish sauce isn’t necessary, but it’s certainly delicious. If you feel guilty about the richness of this recipe, you can use light mayonnaise.

Recipe notes

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