Grammie Beas Tuna Spinach Loaf Food

DEEP-SOUTH SHRIMP AND CRAWFISH STEW

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
• To a 1-gallon plastic bag add paprika, ground thyme, salt, ground black pepper, basil, and chili powder, and shake to combine. Add the crawfish and shrimp to the bag in batches and shake to coat. Add the crawfish and shrimp a little at a time to the boiling water so as not to stop the boil, and let cook until pink and the crawfish is curled. As they are cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the crawfish and shrimp to a platter and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the shells from the crawfish and shrimp and add the shells back to the pot of cooking liquid, and allow to reduce by two-thirds. (The shells of crawfish are removed by cracking the tail with both hands and forcing it back out through the curve of the tail.) Reserve the crawfish and shrimp meat until needed. When reduced, strain the cooking liquid into a bowl.
• For the sauce:
• In another saucepan, combine the garlic, scallions, bay leaf, nutmeg, if using, and butter over medium heat. Add flour to make a roux and allow it to cook until blond, then begin whisking in the milk. Into the bowl of reduced seafood cooking liquid, whisk the Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Add this to the milk mixture and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat, season sauce, to taste, with white pepper, and salt if needed. Remove and discard bay leaf. Immediately put a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make a topping by adding bread crumbs, parsley leaves, Parmesan, Cheddar, Cajun seasoning, horseradish, and hard boiled eggs to a small bowl and combining with a wooden spoon.
• Fold the crawfish and shrimp into the sauce a little at a time so you can control the amount of sauce to the amount of seafood. (Do not feel compelled to use all of the sauce.) Spread the mixture into a 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the topping and heat about 5 minutes in the oven until the topping is browned. Serve family style, garnished with parsley sprigs.

MAW PYE'S CRAWFISH STEW

Steps:

• 1. Place a black iron or other heavy bottomed pot on heat. Add flour and oil, stiring constantly to form a roux. Cook until the roux is deep caramel brown color. Add onions continue to cook until the onions are beginning to brown along the edges. Add celery, bell pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and cayenned pepper. Continue to cook until the celery and bell peppers become tender and the roux is a deep coffee brown color. Stir in crawfish tails and chili powder.
• 2. Add seafood stock, cook until the stew is thickened. Stir in parsley and green onions. Lower fire to slightest simmering, stir well.
• 3. Break one egg at a time into a cup and carefully drop egg into the pot. Repeat untill all the eggs are used up. Be careful not to place eggs on top of another. (DO NOT STIR AGAIN) Place cover on pot and let eggs poach in stew. This usually takes 6 - 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve over a bed of steaming hot rice.

CRAWFISH STEW FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• In a pot big enough to hold 20 lbs. (roaster or dutch oven is one way to do it), heat 1/8 inch of oil (if your crawfish tails don't have much 'fat' on them, you might wish to add a little more oil).
• Fry crawfish in the oil, one layer at a time, until they become crusty, but not brown. Remove the crawfish from the oil and drain on paper towels.
• Once all of the crawfish are fried, add the onion and peppers to the oil and saute' them until they are clear. You can add more oil if you need to.
• Return the crawfish tails to the pot with the onions and peppers. Add the flour, slowly, stirring until smooth and adding more oil if needed to help make the mixture smooth.
• Gradually add water until mixture becomes like a stew consistency.
• Stir in shallots, parsley and seasonings and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
• Boil rapidly for 10 minutes.
• Turn off, cool slightly and serve OR if you are serving it later, after it has cooled, place it in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
• Serve over rice.

CRAWFISH STEW

Steps:

• Best thing to use is an IRON POT Heat fat until melted in your iron pot.
• Add green peppers, celery, garlic,onions and saute until they are cooked.
• Add flour, blending very well, gradually add all seasonings,tomato sauce,water& crawfish tails.
• Simmer on very low heat.
• In 30 min's it will be done.
• You can serve over rice.
• I like it just plain with no rice.