Best 3 Crawfish Zerpa Recipes

LOUISIANA CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

Steps:

• Combine the rice and 6 cups water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender and water has been absorbed.
• While the rice is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute until transparent. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a minute. Stir in the flour until well blended. Gradually stir in the tomato sauce and remaining 1 cup water, then add the crawfish tails and bring to a simmer. Add the green onions and season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes over low heat, until the crawfish is cooked but not tough. Serve over hot cooked rice.

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 ZERPA

Steps:

• *To make crawfish stock: Boil crawfish peelings with a little dry sherry (or water), garlic, onion juice, celery seed and a dab of butter. Strain. May be frozen for future use.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place tails and bread in food processor. Pulsate until coarsely ground. Set aside. Melt butter and add flour, stirring constantly. Add half and half gradually and let mixture simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Add reserved crawfish mixture and seasonings to half and half.
• Boil macaroni in salted water until al dente. Stir gently while cooking to keep shells apart. Drain. Cool enough to handle. Stuff each shell with a heaping tablespoon of crawfish mixture, closing shell over filling.
• To make sauce: Boil cream, stock, and butter in a medium saucepan until reduced by one-half. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste. Place small amount on bottom of casserole dish or individual ramekins coated with nonstick spray. Place stuffed shells in dish, pouring remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and paprika. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 5 minutes.