Swamp Rat and I can't wait! A tribute to Louisiana epicurean delights.

[Maddy McCall]

Crawfish season! It's only a matter of weeks now until we'll be able to feast on those delectible little morsels from the muddy netherworld.

Here's MMjr. last spring, enjoying his favorite meal. He's counting the days with me.




Who else loves crawfish?

[lies and propaganda]

1. i dont like the actual crawfish, but I adore the boil

and I miss home, Shreveport.

Eat some corn and potatoes for me!

[Maddy McCall]

2. Yes. New potatoes and sweet corn, boiled up in the...

Zatarans seasoning. Just too good for words.

I used to live in Longview, TX, about 40 miles from Shreveport. I came through there recently, and I couldn't believe how much development has taken place along the river.

[ragin_acadian]

3. mmm.

how could anyone not love mini-lobsters?

do you and MMjr. like boudin?

[Maddy McCall]

4. We LOVE boudin...

We buy it at Nicks in Port Arthur, Texas. Regular and Crawfish Boudin. We put it on the grill until the skin is crisp, and then serve it up with garlic bread or crackers.

My god, it's good. :9

[XemaSab]

5. Is there a crayfish season?

And do you have a recipe?

:9

[Maddy McCall]

8. Usually you can start getting nice sized crawfish in January...

on into the summer.

Our recipe isn't that complicated. We start our water boiling with a box of Zataran's seasoning (adjust amount to your taste), a bottle of crab boil, some extra cayenne and salt, some lemons, some onions, and some jalepenos. (All of this is done on a propane burner, outside.) Once the water starts boiling, you add the a 40lb sack of crawfish (after it's been thoroughly cleaned by putting in a large ice-chest and allowing the water hose to run through it for about an hour or so). You bring the crawfish back up to a boil, and let it boil for ten or fifteen minutes, then turn off the heat, add ice, and put the lid on it for 30 minutes or so. The ice somehow helps the crawfish to absorb the spicey water and makes it easier to peel. Then you take a big wire net and seine it out of the pot and plop it onto a newspaper covered table, and then start another batch.

Everyone does their crawfish differently. And I've never met a crawfish I didn't like. :D

[XemaSab]

10. What's "crab boil"?

We have a crab fishery out here, and we steam 'em, but I don't know what "crab boil" is.

[Maddy McCall]

15. It's a liquid. "Louisiana" brand Crab Boil.

Here's the bag of dry seasoning you put in the pot:

[XemaSab]

17. So what does the crab boil do?

:shrug:

[Maddy McCall]

19. It's the seasoning.

The liquid penetrates into the flesh better than the dry. But the dry gives it that distinct flavor--it gets under the shell and into the head, so that when you suck the head, you get that grainy, flavorful mouthful of juice...I don't know precisely why we use both, we just always have. :D

[XemaSab]

22. It's like the salt AND the butter

two great tastes that taste great together.... I'll have to look for crayfish at the fish market. I know we have 'em in the creeks here, but I don't know that people catch them and eat them routinely. :shrug:

[Swamp Rat]

12. mmm!

:9 add some corn, cajun potatos, and some garlic too!!! :9

[Maddy McCall]

18. Forgot the garlic.

Yes, add a couple of heads of garlic. And some mushrooms, too. They are delish boiled in the seasoned water.

I'm going to go on the quest for crawfish today. I HOPE I can find some. There's one little seafood outlet that I'm going to hit...they always have them before anyone else. At least they can give me a date, if they don't have them yet. And I can pick up some oysters while I'm there.

:D

[Swamp Rat]

21. HA! I just posted the same below.

I MUST have crawfish today! If I don't find any decent ones, I'll buy a bag of Louisiana crawfish tails and make some etouffee. :9

[Maddy McCall]

24. Hey, that's an idea. The local Piggly Wiggly has a pound...

of frozen tails for 4.99. I might just do the same. :9

[kliljedahl]

33. OH MY GAWD

See you in February my friend. That looks so good. Got a pot in your backyard? Tons O' mustard potato salad too.



Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Swamp Rat]

37. nope

I don't have a backyard at the moment. Looks like I will be working all the way up to Fat Tuesday, both clean up and school work. :(

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. Love it!

But we have crawfish here too!

[Maddy McCall]

7. Hey, sweetie!

How ya doin? :loveya:

I can't wait 'til the first crawfish boil. It's like a rite of spring...you know spring's around the corner, once the crawfish boils start. :bounce:

[Swamp Rat]

9. GIMME CRAWFISH NOW!!!

:9 :woohoo: :9



How to eat crawfish: (well, I'd change it to say 10-15 lbs. per person) :9

http://www.boiledcrawfish.com/

[XemaSab]

11. Hey Swampy,

how are things?

[Swamp Rat]

13. ok

:hi:

New Orleans is coming back very slowly.

[XemaSab]

14. Good to hear, good to hear!

I need to get down there... see some birds, eat some food... the whole bit...

Are you back in town now?

[Maddy McCall]

16. So would I. MMjr and I can eat at least 10 lbs. each.

God that looks delicious. I can't wait until it's time! :bounce:

[Swamp Rat]

20. With this Indian Summer we've had, I bet the season will start sooner...

I hope!

I am salivating right now! I'm gonna check around tomorrow to see if I can find crawfish in town. There's nothing like sitting on the levee of the Mississippi River and eating a 20 lb. sack of crawfish and drinking Abita beer... this year I'll bring the new one by Abita called "Restoration Ale." It's their BEST brew yet! :beer: :toast:

[Maddy McCall]

25. Go ahead, and laugh at me...

But I have to make a drive down to Manchac to restock on my Dixie beer. I love it! :D

[lgreen]

36. just a note

I went to school in New Orleans and got a taste for Abita, and you're right, the Restoration Ale is awesome! I think that I even like it better than Turbodog... and I'm so glad I can get it in Los Angeles...now I'm getting homesick for crawfish...

[Mutley]

23. I don't like any type of fish or seafood or shellfish...

Lol. I'm happy for you guys, though. :D

[Maddy McCall]

26. Thanks.

I'm just a seafood nut. I love it all--there's none I don't like. :hi:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

27. still up?

[Mutley]

28. I wish I could like it.

I've tried it many times. Just the fishy smell alone can make me nauseous. I live in Maryland and the big thing here is blue crab. It's a huge industry on the Eastern Shore. People look at me in shock when they find out I just can't stand crab -- not for lack of trying, I assure you. The closest I ever came was when I tried a crab-cake that was much more cake than crab, and I thought, 'What's the point?' :hi:

[clyrc]

29. Oooh crawfish oooh!

Love them! I have a friend who is trying to get crawfish shippped to Sharjah for a huge party, and I am so hoping he can do it. I haven't tasted them in years, and I'm so ready!

[Trigger Hippie]

30. I love crawfish!

I was just home in Lafayette, LA for the holidays so I just missed the boiled goodies! But I did have some good crawfish etouffee. Yum! Eat a whole bunch for me! :hi:

[kliljedahl]

31. Love them Mud Bugs

Keith’s Barbeque Central

[GOPisEvil]

32. I have to admit I'm not a crawfish fan.

But, I'll eat the andouille sausage that cooks with 'em. Maybe I can have a shrimp po'boy or something. Oh...if there's an etouffe with crawfish, I can handle that.

I don't really like boiled shrimp either. Heck, I even like lobster removed from the shell. I guess I'm not into dismemberment. :P

[KamaAina]

34. I only made it to one boil in over two years in town

shame on me. It was in a courtyard down in the Lower Quarter, though.

I do, however, have some leftover Zat's beans and rice (they only sell the black beans and rice here, and the dirty rice, for some reason :eyes: ) ready for Twelfth Night. Convenience store run upcoming (still only 4:45 hereabouts). :beer: If I find the baby in my mac nut biscotti from Christmas, I'll be SURE to let everyone know (including the mac nut biscotti bakery)! No streetcar ride possible here, but I do live just off the only street in town that has a neutral ground.

Plus, just heard from fellow DUer markus over across cyber-town (rebuilding boards). He and family plan to be back in -- after around twenty years for him, first time for Mrs. m! -- as of May! :bounce: There may be hope for me yet...

[EstimatedProphet]

35. I'd love me some crawdaddies

I used to raise them. One of my ponds was producing them on average of 3 OUNCES!