Crawfish & Shrimp Pasta

 

Ingredients:

8 oz linguine or fettuccine (or pasta of your choice)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb shrimp (peeled & deveined)

1/2 lb crawfish tails (cooked, peeled)

1 small onion (finely diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 cup diced bell pepper (red or green)

1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 tsp Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)

Salt & black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp chopped parsley (for garnish)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions:

Cook pasta: In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Sauté shrimp & crawfish: Over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Season shrimp lightly with salt, pepper, and a pinch of Cajun seasoning. Cook shrimp for 2–3 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Remove and set aside. (Crawfish tails are already cooked—just warm them with the shrimp for the last 30 seconds.)

Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, add the remaining butter & oil. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery for 3–4 minutes until softened.

Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

Build sauce: Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, and (optional) cayenne.

Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Combine: Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Return shrimp and crawfish to the pan. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss in the cooked pasta and combine everything well.

Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve hot!

Crawfish Hush Puppies

 

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 cup cooked crawfish tails (drained and chopped)

1/4 cup green onions (sliced)

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.

Combine: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the crawfish and green onions.

Heat Oil: In a deep pan or fryer, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per batch, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.

Classic Chicken, Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil (or butter)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 lb andouille sausage (sliced)

1 lb chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into chunks)

1 lb shrimp (peeled & deveined)

1 large onion (diced)

1 bell pepper (diced)

2 stalks celery (diced)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

6 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (plus more to taste)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp thyme (dried or 1 tsp fresh)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt & black pepper, to taste

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)

1/2 cup green onions (chopped)

1/4 cup parsley (chopped)

Cooked white rice, for serving

Filé powder (optional) for authentic thickening and flavor

Instructions:

Make roux: In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir constantly for 25–35 minutes (yes, patience is key!) until it turns a deep chocolate brown — but not burnt. Keep stirring; adjust heat lower if needed.

Cook sausage & chicken: In a separate pan, brown the sausage slices and chicken chunks with a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning. Set aside.

Sauté trinity: Once the roux is dark brown, add onions, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic; cook for another minute.

Build gumbo: Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Add bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt & pepper.

Simmer: Add browned sausage and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add shrimp & finish: Stir in shrimp, green onions, parsley, and hot sauce. Simmer 5–7 minutes more until shrimp are pink and cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve: Ladle over hot white rice. Sprinkle with extra parsley or a dusting of filé powder.

Pro Tips:

Roux color = Flavor depth. The darker the roux, the richer the flavor.

Stock: Homemade chicken stock or shrimp stock takes it over the top.

Okra: If you want an okra gumbo, sauté sliced okra with the trinity in step 3.

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage and Ham Hock

 

Ingredients

For the Beans:

- 1 lb dried red kidney beans, rinsed and soaked overnight

- 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced into rounds

- 1 smoked ham hock (about 1 lb)

- 1 large yellow onion, diced

- 1 green bell pepper, diced

- 2 celery stalks, diced

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 bay leaves

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- 1 tsp smoked paprika

- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

- ½ tsp black pepper

- ½ tsp white pepper (optional)

- 6 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock

- Salt to taste (added near the end)

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or bacon fat

For the Rice:

- 2 cups long-grain white rice

- 4 cups water

- Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Prep the Beans: Rinse and soak beans overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain before using.

2. Sauté the Sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add andouille sausage and

brown lightly. Remove and set aside.

3. Cook the Holy Trinity: In the same pot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft (5-7 minutes). Add

garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.

4. Simmer the Beans: Add beans, sausage, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, cayenne, black pepper,

and white pepper. Pour in water or stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer 2 to 2½

hours, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to keep beans submerged.

5. Shred Ham Hock (Optional): Remove ham hock when tender, shred meat off bone, and return meat to pot.

Discard skin and bone.

6. Mash Some Beans: Mash a portion of the beans against the side of the pot to create a creamy texture.

Simmer uncovered until thickened.

7. Cook the Rice: Bring 4 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Add rice, cover, reduce heat, and simmer

for 18-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To Serve

Spoon red beans over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions or a dash of hot sauce.