Chef Brian Landry on Crawfish
Chef Brian Landry is the Executive Chef of Galatoire’s in New Orleans and Galatoire’s Bistro in Baton Rouge. Winner of the 2008 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and runner-up in the 2008 Great American Seafood Cook-Off. One of America’s brightest young chefs.
What is your preferred way of preparing crawfish?
My favorite way to eat crawfish is with friends at a crawfish boil with some Abita Beer, but I also love the Crawfish Maison we make at Galatoire’s. The already boiled tails are mixed into a creamy salad of capers, creole mustard, green onions and aioli.
How is cooking with crawfish different than cooking with shrimp?
The shell of a crawfish is much tougher than a shrimp shell. Typically the water that crawfish are boiled in is seasoned much more heavily with a spicy blend of seasonings including salt, cayenne pepper, and lemon. The crawfish are also typically allowed to soak in the seasoned water after being boiled for a longer time. When I boil crawfish at home, I typically bring the seasoned water to a boil and then add the crawfish. Once the water has returned to a boil with the crawfish in it, I then turn off the burner and allow the crawfish to soak for about twenty minutes.
Do you purge your crawfish (soak in salty water to remove impurities)?
Typically the crawfish are allowed to soak in a highly salted water bath before they are boiled. This causes the crawfish to expel any grit or sand they may have ingested leading to a cleaner end product.
What side dishes go with crawfish?
My favorite side dishes with crawfish are actually cooked along with the crawfish at the same time. They include corn on the cob, potatoes, garlic, onion and sausage.
What is a recommended serving portion of crawfish?
When hosting a crawfish boil I will typically buy about 2-3 pounds of crawfish per person attending, but it also depends on the crowd. A close group of friends can easily eat a sack by themselves, which typically weighs 35- 40 pounds each.
What wine pairs well with crawfish dishes?
Due to the fact that crawfish dishes are often times on the spicier side, I will reach for a Riesling when pairing with wine. I like the crisp sweetness that a Riesling offers to counter the spice of the crawfish.
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Crawfish Thermidor
By Chef Frank Brigtsen
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh peeled Louisiana crawfish tails
- 4 Tbsp. finely ground French bread crumbs
- 3 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
- 3/4 tsp. ground paprika (preferably hot Hungarian paprika)
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp. minced shallots
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp. whole-leaf dried tarragon leaves
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat broiler.
In a small mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, melted butter, and paprika. Mix until fully blended. Set aside.
Heat the 1 Tbsp. of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, shallots, and bay leaf.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions become soft and clear, 2-3 minutes. Add the tarragon, salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the cream and Dijon mustard and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Strain the sauce into a separate skillet and bring to a boil. Add the crawfish tails and return the mixture to a boil.
Remove from heat. Transfer the crawfish and cream mixture to a shallow baking dish (or individual gratin dishes).
Sprinkle the top with the bread crumb and cheese mixture. Place the dish under the broiler and cook just until the top begins to brown, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
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