Crawfish Butter Recipes

ORIGINAL CRAWFISH OR SHRIMP MONICA

Steps:

• 1. Cook pasta in salt water according to the directions on the package. Drain, then rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Drain again, thoroughly.
• 2. Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
• 3. *If using raw shrimp, add them with the onions and garlic at the beginning.
• 4. Add the crawfish and half-and-half, sauté until bubbly.
• 5. Add Creole seasoning - 1 big pinch then taste. Add more as needed but tasting before adding the next pinch until you think it's right. Add salt if needed. If you've boiled your own crawfish add the crawfish fat to the mixture as well.
• 6. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
• 7. Add the pasta to the pot and toss well. You may not need to use all of the pasta. (I double the recipe when using the whole pound of pasta.) Let it sit for about 10 minutes over very low heat, stirring often.
• 8. Serve immediately, with lots of French bread and a nice white wine. Buon Appetito!
• 9. *COOKS NOTE: Most of the time I use half Heavy Cream and half - Half and Half, or in other words 1 1/3 cups heavy cream and 2/3 cups milk. I generally buy Heavy Cream because it can be cut with milk to make Half and Half. The sauce seems to thicken better than straight Half and Half but using all Heavy Cream is too thick.
• 10. *Tip: The sauce is excellent over Redfish on da Half Shell or grilled filets - I call it Redfish Monica.
• 11. *Options: If you don't have crawfish, use bay scallops, shrimp, lump crabmeat (add last and fold in gently).

CRAWFISH BUTTER

Steps:

• Leave butter at room temperature for about 1 hour before starting recipe.
• Sauté crawfish over med heat with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning for 3 minutes. Add wine and garlic and simmer till evaporated. Set aside to cool about 5 minutes.
• In a food processor combine butter, crawfish and rest of ingredients. Process until all ingredients are incorporated evenly throughout butter.
• Spread butter mixture out on a plastic wrap and roll into a log. Wrap with a second coating of plastic wrap and seal the ends by twisting. Place in a sealed bag and freeze till solid.
• Slice off as needed.
• Chef: Michael O'Boyle.
• Credits: ChickenFriedGourmet.com.

EASY CRAWFISH TAIL RECIPE

Steps:

• Add butter and olive oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Once hot, add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add crawfish tails and sauté for about 1 minute on one side or until just beginning to turn pink. Then flip. (If your crawfish is already pre-cooked, you'll only need about 1 minute to heat them through.)
• Add wine and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the crawfish tails are cooked through. (Make sure not to over-cook your crawfish meat.)
• Remove from the heat immediately. Sprinkle with chopped basil or parsley. Serve over pasta or rice and enjoy!

GRILLED CRAWFISH WITH SPICY TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Add the crawfish to a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook for about 30 seconds. Shock the crawfish in a bowl filled with ice water.
• Cut through the shell on the belly side the entire length of the crawfish. This will help the meat cook evenly. Remove the vein along the body as well as the sack behind the eyes. Rinse thoroughly.
• Combine the butter, hot sauce, tarragon and cayenne in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Prepare a charcoal grill for direct grilling. Place the crawfish in a grill basket and grill until the shell turns bright red and the meat is opaque, about 5 minutes, shaking the grill basket occasionally.
• Meanwhile, melt the spicy tarragon butter in a saucepan or skillet. Remove the crawfish to a large platter or shallow bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the melted butter. Serve immediately.

CRAB BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lowest position.
• Put reserved crab solids in a 3-quart ovenproof heavy pot. Put butter on top of solids, then cover and cook in oven 1 hour.
• Remove pot from oven and add enough cold water to reach 1/4 inch below rim of pot. Let stand, uncovered, about 10 minutes to allow melted butter to rise to surface of water.
• Skim melted butter with a large spoon or ladle into a 1-quart saucepan, then boil until butter stops crackling (when all water has been boiled out) and turns clear, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Stir in paprika.