Crawfish Cakes with Maque Choux and Creamy Grits

Crawfish Cakes with Tabasco Butter

Recipe courtesy of Food Republic

Ingredients

Cakes

1 pound American crayfish tail meat

1 garlic clove, minced or pushed through a press

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

3 drops worcestershire sauce

3 drops hot sauce, such as Tabasco

1/8 teaspoon pepper

About 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Tabasco butter

2/3 cup dry or medium-dry white wine

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 large shallot, minced

1 tablespoon minced roasted red bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, cut into 6 equal pieces

2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon each fine sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. Make the cakes: Gather the crayfish with clean hands and squeeze firmly to rid it of as much excess moisture as possible. In a medium bowl, combine the crayfish with all the remaining ingredients for the cakes, except the panko and oil. Blend together with a fork until thoroughly combined.

1. Blend in 1/2 cup of the panko, and test to see whether you can form a patty that will hold

together; add additional panko as needed until a patty will hold its shape.

1. With clean hands, form 8 patties, each about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Place on a plate and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

1. Start the Tabasco butter: In a small saucepan, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot, bell pepper, hot sauce, and Old Bay; place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 12 minutes; the mixture should be juicy, not wet. Watch carefully to be sure the liquid does not completely evaporate. Set aside at the back of the stove, covered, while you cook the cakes, up to 1 hour if desired.

1. Cook the cakes: In a large nonstick skillet, warm half the oil over medium-low heat. When it is hot, gently slide half the cakes into the pan.

1. Cook the bottom sides until golden brown, 5 minutes. Turn and brown on the other sides, 4 minutes more. Keep the first batch warm in a low (200°) oven. Repeat to make the second batch.

1. Finish the butter: Reheat the wine mixture over very low heat, just until steaming. Remove from the heat and add all the butter at once, whisking the sauce constantly until the butter emulsifies and makes a creamy sauce. (If the residual heat of the wine mixture is not enough to soften all the pieces of butter, you can return the pan very briefly to low heat to encourage complete emulsification — if the sauce gets too hot at this point, the butter will melt and separate.) Add the chives, salt, and pepper, and swirl the pan. Cover the pan, and serve the sauce and the cakes within 5 minutes.

Maque Choux

Recipe courtesy of Megan Mulligan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or bacon grease

4 cups corn (about 6 ears)

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup chopped red or green bell peppers

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of smoked paprika

Salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn, onions, bell pepper, jalapeño, cayenne, and salt, and cook, stirring, until soft, for 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook for 2 minutes. At the end, add a pinch of smoked paprika. Remove from the heat and serve hot.