Chef notes
First made famous at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, this recipe has become a favorite for music and food lovers alike.
Technique tip: Thaw crawfish in refrigerator overnight if using frozen crawfish tails.
Swap option: Feel free to use shrimp instead of crawfish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided
- 1 pound cooked crawfish tails
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Creole mustard
- 4 ounces grated provolone cheese
- 4 ounces grated white cheddar cheese
- 2 15-inch loaves soft French bread
Preparation
1.Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet and when hot add the onion, celery and bell pepper.
2.Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have wilted about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the crawfish tails, salt and remaining Creole seasoning and cook stirring until the crawfish have warmed through and released any liquid and the liquid has evaporated about 3 minutes. Stir in the green onions and set aside to cool.
3.Preheat oven to 350°F.
4.When crawfish have cooled, stir in the mayonnaise, Creole mustard and cheeses until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
5.Cut the two loaves of bread nearly in half lengthwise and divide the crawfish filling evenly among the bottom portion of the two loaves. Fold the top portion of bread back over the stuffing and then wrap each loaf tightly in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 25-30 minutes. Slice into the desired size portions and serve hot.
