Among the hundreds of foods available at New Orleans Jazz Fest, one of the perennial favorites is Crawfish Monica. The original Crawfish Monica recipe developed by Chef Pierre Hilzim was named after his wife Monica Davidson and is a closely guarded secret. Like many great recipes, there are many versions out there. This one posted by @ WWOZ 90.7 FM New Orleans is very good! Since it’s difficult to find crawfish up here in the north-country, I adapted the recipe to use shellfish that are more available outside of “crawfish country”. Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry pasta; rotini is the traditional choice, but any pasta that will hold the delicious rich sauce will work.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 pound of any combination of crawfish tails, langostinos, small shrimp, chopped lobster, or scallops

• 1/2 pint heavy cream

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 bunch of scallions, separated into the white bottom and green top parts

• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley

• 2 tablespoons cajun/creole seasoning

• 1/4 cayenne pepper (more to taste)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a cast-iron or other shallow pan melt the butter in the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Finely chop the white parts of the scallions and garlic, then saute them for several minutes in the olive oil/butter mixture.

3. Add the nutmeg, cayenne, and creole seasoning. Saute for about a minute to allow the seasonings to bloom.

4. Add the heavy cream and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce reduces and thickens, 5-10 minutes.

5. Add the shellfish to the sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes more. (Optional: add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and mix to incorporate.)

6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain.

7. Add the sauce and shellfish to the pasta, along with the chopped parsley and green onion tops, mix well, and serve.

Wine pairing: recommended wines to try are Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, White Burgundy, Chardonnay, Viognier, White Rhone, or a dry Riesling.

Recipe adapted from: “Crawfish Monica” posted by WWOZ 90.7 FM New Orleans
Shared by William Seibert @ shelburnefallscork1
Kajun Kettle Foods: http://www.crawfishmonica.com