Crawfish Etouffee - or what to do with 1 lb. of cooked Louisiana crawfish tail meat

[WRideout]

When I lived in Northern California, the rice farmers would let commercial fishermen catch crawfish out of their flooded fields. I was told that most were exported to Sweden(!) I didn't believe it until I saw a travelogue about Sweden, which showed a young man eating a crawfish tail and drinking a beer. He even sucked the head part. I wanted to tell him, "I'm proud of you, son."

Wayne

[gwpercle]

In Louisiana the rice farmers use their flooded fields to grow Crawfish .
The Crawfish feed off the cut rice plants after the rice harvest ... later , the crawfish grow big and get harvested .
They can get two cash crops from the same fields .
Works out real well ... cook the crawfish etouffee ... and serve it over rice ...
Gary

[trapper9260]

Put that Gar in court bouillon. Pronounced "coo-be-yon".

Do you have a recipe for it ?

[trapper9260]

The way I use the Gar is have a pot of boiling hot water with salt and drop the cut up Gar and drop in the boil water and salt and then eat it dip in melted butter . Like lobster . I also tan the skin and made a jack knife sheaf out of it .

[T-Bird]

Emeril Lagasse has a recipe on Food Network for court bouillon, there are others too. It's a creole poaching liquid, has the usual ingredients, trinity etc. I've made it with shrimp, catfish, snapper any fish. It'll make yo tongue slap yo eyeballs out!

[gwpercle]

Do you have a recipe for it ?

If you still need a Courtbouillon recipe ... I'll be glad to post one ... it ain't Emril Lagasse's recipe but Adele Broussard Percle ... my grandmother .
Gary

[trapper9260]

If you still need a Courtbouillon recipe ... I'll be glad to post one ... it ain't Emril Lagasse's recipe but Adele Broussard Percle ... my grandmother .
Gary

Yes I do like to have it if you do not mind and thank you.

[gwpercle]

Yes I do like to have it if you do not mind and thank you.

This is from my Daddy's mother Adele Broussard Percle , it is an old cajun recipe , not fancy just basic good eating . You can use any large , firm fleshed fish . The fish can be fresh water or saltwater fish , Sheepshead , Black Drum , Redfish , Gaspergoo , Buffalo , Freshwater Drum and Bass are all good candidates .

Courtbouillon
1 or 2 large Redfish (cut into serving pieces)
1 1/2 cups Flour
3 bunches Green Onions , chopped - tops and bottoms
4 or 5 large Cloves Fresh Garlic , chopped
1 cup Celery , chopped fine
3/4 cup Fresh Parsley , chopped fine
3 lbs. Shrimp , peeled, cleaned and deveined
Generous Pinch Thyme
Generous Pinch Rosemary
2 fresh Lemons , cut in half and seeds removed
1 - 8 oz can Tomatoes
1 - 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 stick margarine ( or butter )
4 dozen raw oysters w/ liquid are optional - (it's still good if you don't have oysters ...that's just Lagniappe)
2 or 3 Bay Leaves
Chicken stock or water to thin sauce as needed .

First you make a medium dark roux ... brown the flour in oil and margarine untill it is color of an old copper penny (medium brown) . Add green onions , garlic and celery . Cook untill onions , celery and garlic are soft . Add Tomatoes and Tomatoe Sauce and reserved oyster liquid ... if not using qysters add chicken stock ... to make a thick sauce (the shrimp and fish will throw off water when added) Add lemons bay leaves and parsley and simmer on Low for 1 hour , stir often and add water to prevent sticking or getting too thick .
While the sauce is cooking , season fish fillets , cajun spice of choice . Remove bay leaves , add thyme & Rosemary , stir well and lay fish fillets in sauce , next add shrimp and oysters to sauce , make sure liquid comes up the sides of fish fillets , to almost cover them .
Now you can cover pot and slow simmer on top of the stove or cover and place in a preheated 350 degree oven to finish cooking ... I finish it in the oven ... 45 minutes or so and you can remove the cover and put back in oven to get some browning on the fish and evaporate any excess water in the sauce ... the shrimp and fish will "throw off" water , the sauce should be a medium thickness not watery .
Adjust cooking times to thickness of the fish fillets .
Serve over hot white rice .
Gary
My grandmother didn't have any instructions written down , My mom helped me when I transcribed it , she didn't like oysters so didn't use them . I like finishing the cooking in the oven because on the stove top the bottom of the pot wants to scorch and stick ... in the oven it doesn't do this .

[HWooldridge]

Did your grandmother have a recipe for Macque Choux? I had some in Lafayette a couple weeks ago and it was killer - much better than I have ever made.

[gwpercle]

Did your grandmother have a recipe for Macque Choux? I had some in Lafayette a couple weeks ago and it was killer - much better than I have ever made.

I can find no recipe in grandmother's or mother's recipes . Seems to be a dish neither fixed , we usually had fresh corn , boiled in salted water, on the cobb and slathered with butter .
My favorite place to get Corn Maque Choux is at Prejean's Restaurant in Lafayette ... along with a bowl of their awesome Smoked Duck and Andouille Gumbo ... butt kicking good stuff !

But ... my daughters Mother-in-law , Mary - an awesome cook , gave her this recipe . They lived on a farm and grew acres of corn , had dairy cows and I would bet money it's a good one .

Maque Choux

2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (or butter)
1 Large Onion , diced
1 Green Bell Pepper , seeded and diced
2 Stalks Celery , diced
1 Clove Garlic , minced
1 lb. fresh or frozen Sweet Yellow Corn
1 - 14.5 oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Salt
Cajun / Creole Seasoning - optional to taste

1.) Melt the bacon grease in large skillet over med. high heat . Add the Onion , Celery and Bell Pepper cook until tender - about 5 mins. , add the Garlic and cook another min. Stir often
2.) Add the Corn , Tomatoes and Heavy Cream , stir to combine well , add Salt and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook uncovered 15 - 20 mins. , or until the corn is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated . Stir Often to keep bottom from sticking .
3.) Taste and adjust Salt . Add Cajun / Creole seasoning to taste as desired .
Allow to "rest" 5 - 10 mins. to allow the mixture to thicken before serving .

The two secrete ingredients that make this dish taste "good" ...Bacon Grease and Heavy Cream .

Gary

[farmbif]

I can't wait for the day, if it might ever come to be, that packages can be sent over the internet. and we could send samples out to ones we know as I wipe the drool off the keyboard reading about these gastronomic delights.

[HWooldridge]

I can find no recipe in grandmother's or mother's recipes . Seems to be a dish neither fixed , we usually had fresh corn , boiled in salted water, on the cobb and slathered with butter .
My favorite place to get Corn Maque Choux is at Prejean's Restaurant in Lafayette ... along with a bowl of their awesome Smoked Duck and Andouille Gumbo ... butt kicking good stuff !

But ... my daughters Mother-in-law , Mary - an awesome cook , gave her this recipe . They lived on a farm and grew acres of corn , had dairy cows and I would bet money it's a good one .

Maque Choux

2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (or butter)
1 Large Onion , diced
1 Green Bell Pepper , seeded and diced
2 Stalks Celery , diced
1 Clove Garlic , minced
1 lb. fresh or frozen Sweet Yellow Corn
1 - 14.5 oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Salt
Cajun / Creole Seasoning - optional to taste

1.) Melt the bacon grease in large skillet over med. high heat . Add the Onion , Celery and Bell Pepper cook until tender - about 5 mins. , add the Garlic and cook another min. Stir often
2.) Add the Corn , Tomatoes and Heavy Cream , stir to combine well , add Salt and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook uncovered 15 - 20 mins. , or until the corn is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated . Stir Often to keep bottom from sticking .
3.) Taste and adjust Salt . Add Cajun / Creole seasoning to taste as desired .
Allow to "rest" 5 - 10 mins. to allow the mixture to thicken before serving .

The two secrete ingredients that make this dish taste "good" ...Bacon Grease and Heavy Cream .

Gary

Thanks a million, Gary. I can’t recall the name of the restaurant but I think it was a woman’s name and was downtown near the college. My Macque Choux tastes decent but nothing like that. On the other hand, I have never had boudin any better than my pet recipe. Everyone who eats it says the same, even if they grew up in Cajun country.

I’m going to make some “mock shoe” this week with you recipe. Thanks again.

[trapper9260]

This is from my Daddy's mother Adele Broussard Percle , it is an old cajun recipe , not fancy just basic good eating . You can use any large , firm fleshed fish . The fish can be fresh water or saltwater fish , Sheepshead , Black Drum , Redfish , Gaspergoo , Buffalo , Freshwater Drum and Bass are all good candidates .

Courtbouillon
1 or 2 large Redfish (cut into serving pieces)
1 1/2 cups Flour
3 bunches Green Onions , chopped - tops and bottoms
4 or 5 large Cloves Fresh Garlic , chopped
1 cup Celery , chopped fine
3/4 cup Fresh Parsley , chopped fine
3 lbs. Shrimp , peeled, cleaned and deveined
Generous Pinch Thyme
Generous Pinch Rosemary
2 fresh Lemons , cut in half and seeds removed
1 - 8 oz can Tomatoes
1 - 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 stick margarine ( or butter )
4 dozen raw oysters w/ liquid are optional - (it's still good if you don't have oysters ...that's just Lagniappe)
2 or 3 Bay Leaves
Chicken stock or water to thin sauce as needed .

First you make a medium dark roux ... brown the flour in oil and margarine untill it is color of an old copper penny (medium brown) . Add green onions , garlic and celery . Cook untill onions , celery and garlic are soft . Add Tomatoes and Tomatoe Sauce and reserved oyster liquid ... if not using qysters add chicken stock ... to make a thick sauce (the shrimp and fish will throw off water when added) Add lemons bay leaves and parsley and simmer on Low for 1 hour , stir often and add water to prevent sticking or getting too thick .
While the sauce is cooking , season fish fillets , cajun spice of choice . Remove bay leaves , add thyme & Rosemary , stir well and lay fish fillets in sauce , next add shrimp and oysters to sauce , make sure liquid comes up the sides of fish fillets , to almost cover them .
Now you can cover pot and slow simmer on top of the stove or cover and place in a preheated 350 degree oven to finish cooking ... I finish it in the oven ... 45 minutes or so and you can remove the cover and put back in oven to get some browning on the fish and evaporate any excess water in the sauce ... the shrimp and fish will "throw off" water , the sauce should be a medium thickness not watery .
Adjust cooking times to thickness of the fish fillets .
Serve over hot white rice .
Gary
My grandmother didn't have any instructions written down , My mom helped me when I transcribed it , she didn't like oysters so didn't use them . I like finishing the cooking in the oven because on the stove top the bottom of the pot wants to scorch and stick ... in the oven it doesn't do this .

Thank you for this . Also your time to write it down , For how you said about the recipe my mom done the same thing at times when she had cooked . She just estimate of how much to put in, she was a cook by trade. Her parents was from Canada and my mom only known French and had to learn English on her own . And found out some of my ancestors are Cajun also.

[HWooldridge]

Here is my boudin recipe - it originated with a good friend of mine, now deceased, whose family was from Mississippi.

Recipe for Hot Boudin
Ingredients should be fresh:

1 – Fresh Boston butt or pork picnic shoulder (note that most large Boston butts will make two or three times the amount needed for this recipe but do not double or triple it until you’ve made it several times and are comfortable with the results)
1 – bunch parsley
1 – bunch green onions, chopped
1 – large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 – head of garlic
3 or 4 dried, red, hot chili peppers (usually sold bulk in the produce section)

Have available:

Hog casings prepared for use and cut to 18” length
Kosher or pickling salt (not table salt)
Red pepper flakes (as used on pizza)
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Thyme (dried and crushed or ground – ground is preferred)
Ground mace or nutmeg
Ground allspice
Long grain rice

Spice mix:

1 Tbs. Kosher or pickling salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. mace or nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice

Herb mix:

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
3/4 cup finely chopped green onion
2 tsp. minced garlic

Ø Prepare 3 pounds of meat by cutting into 2” cubes (retain some fat in the meat) – do not toss the bones.

Ø In a six-quart heavy pot, place 5 cups water, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground black pepper, 3 or 4 hot red peppers, 4 bay leaves and 1/8 tsp. thyme and bring to a boil.

Ø Place bones in the boiling water and add the cubed meat. Return to boil then lower to simmer for 1 hour or until tender. When tender, add large yellow onion and cook for 7 minutes more. Remove meat, onion and chili peppers - let cool. Discard bay leaves and bones.

Ø Pour off broth to retain 2 cups in stock pot – DO NOT discard the remainder since some will be used later – leftovers can be used for dirty rice. Add 1cup long grain dry rice and bring to boil over high heat, stir, cover and place on low heat for 20 minutes or until done.

Ø After rice has cooked, remove to large mixing container and cool thoroughly. Grind cooled meat, onions and red chili peppers through 1/4” coarse plate on grinder.

Ø Combine cooled ground meat mixture, cooled rice, spice and herb mix. Add about 1 cup broth and mix well.

Ø Begin stuffing casings, leaving 2” at the beginning and stop within 2” of the end – DO NOT fill casing or tie ends since this allows the mixture to expand while cooking without bursting. Coil lengths on cake rack over a pan and place in refrigerator to chill. Boudin is ready when casing is dry to the touch – store in zip-lock bags until ready to use. It has no preservatives so make sure to freeze if not eaten soon after preparation. I also sometimes skip the casing and vacuum pack servings in plastic bags.

Ø To cook, coil the boudin in a colander or place in steamer over boiling water for 20 minutes. It can be eaten at this time and the casing may be discarded after emptying the contents or it can be browned in butter to crisp the casing to your taste.

Traditional Cajun boudin contains pork livers and occasionally other organs. If you wish to include these: Use 1 lb. liver, then cook separately and discard the liver broth stock. Increase dry rice measure to 1-1/2 cups and pork broth stock to 3 cups before cooking rice. Spices and herbs may be increased to suit your taste but are sufficient as is.

[farmbif]

best fresh boudin and cracklings I ever had was at comeaux cafe in Lafayette but that was 30 years ago.
put a little sonny landreth on the juke box a few cold ones from the cooler and you got a party.

[gwpercle]

best fresh boudin and cracklings I ever had was at comeaux cafe in Lafayette but that was 30 years ago.
put a little sonny landreth on the juke box a few cold ones from the cooler and you got a party.

They are still there and doing a good business . If you can't go to them ... they can ship to you
Check out what's available ... www.comeaux.com
Comeaux's gift packs and other products can now be shipped .
Gary

[T-Bird]

This is a treasure trove of wonderful info. Thanks to all of you!

[gwpercle]

best fresh boudin and cracklings I ever had was at comeaux cafe in Lafayette but that was 30 years ago.
put a little sonny landreth on the juke box a few cold ones from the cooler and you got a party.

Thanks HW fot the recipe and instructions !
Making boudin is an Art ... I never had a good , at home recipe , this one's going in my collection for future reference ! I just remembered ...
After mom passed, I found a big old hand cranked meat grinder with sausage stuffing attachments and all kinds of extra blades ...( it might have been her mom's )... in her walk in pantry . I kept it ...
Time to go get it out and see what we can do !

I do like the pork liver in mine and if you smoke them links ... well, smoked boudin is one of life's little pleasures ...you can eat the casing and all ...soooo gooood !
Gary

[HWooldridge]

Thanks HW fot the recipe and instructions !
Making boudin is an Art ... I never had a good , at home recipe , this one's going in my collection for future reference ! I just remembered ...
After mom passed, I found a big old hand cranked meat grinder with sausage stuffing attachments and all kinds of extra blades ...( it might have been her mom's )... in her walk in pantry . I kept it ...
Time to go get it out and see what we can do !

I do like the pork liver in mine and if you smoke them links ... well, smoked boudin is one of life's little pleasures ...you can eat the casing and all ...soooo gooood !
Gary

Sure thing, Gary - hope you like it! I don't smoke my boudin, mostly because I make it all year long and don't want to mess with the extra time outside during the hot months. Easier to just pack it and freeze for later. One of my sons asked me once about adding liquid smoke but I never did it.

My friend spent his whole 45 year career as a plumber but I believe his real passion was cooking - he gave me so many really great recipes for all sorts of dishes - and most are fairly cheap to make because he and his wife raised a bunch of children and had to get by on not much money.

I always take two days to make this recipe; I cook the pork and the rice first and chill everything overnight. I keep the leftover broth and use it to wet the mixture so it stuffs easily.

One of our other sons has been working in Sulphur, LA for a couple of years and he's been bringing me boudin from around the area but this recipe consistently wins the taste tests.

Now, we need to talk about tasso - I've made and used it in certain recipes but not sure if I'm doing it right...

[36g]

I tried the OP etouffee today - switched the crawfish for shrimp. I had to add a bit more chicken stock to thin it (may have used too much flour...). It was delicious! As was noted later on I should have doubled the recipe - no leftovers!