It’s been almost 12 years since we first set foot in this city.
And what a trip it was.
What brought us here, you ask?
It was none other than the Jazz Fest.
And since then I have come to realize that this time of year, more so than any other time of year, is the best time of year to get in the mix on the best that the city has to offer.
The first visit though—man, it was plagued by torrential downpours, a slip + fall – no, not alcohol induced but a hellacious combination of rain + tile floors. We’re fairly certain that is when we broke our tailbone, only to be discovered years later.
It is also where a favorite pair of jeans ripped in the crotch, in public no less.
Friends of friends ate damn near all $22 worth of cheese we purchased AND thought it hilarious.
They thought it even funnier to bring an entire wheelbarrow full of crawfish into the living room for us all to share.
In the end, at least they got something right: the crawfish.
It was also the first time we had ever wrapped our lips around a Mrs. Wheat’s Crawfish pie + rose mint iced tea.
Both of which are the first things we do upon entering the gate at the Fest.
Two pies in one hand + a giant glass of tea in the other.
And at some point even though it can be ridiculously hot, we will find ourselves cramming at least two bowls of crawfish Monica into our faces.
And that, my friends is where the inspiration for this dish comes in play.
This time of year is not only fabulous weather wise but also because the crawfish are plentiful, cheap + there’s always leftovers to be picked cleaned + reincarnated in a cream sauce.
Yeah, you heard me.
Crawfish cream sauce + pasta
Follow this-a-way…
Our Crawfish with Cream Sauce over Pasta
Prep time: 10-15 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Yield: 1 lb pasta plus sauce
Ingredients:
1 lb box of rotini
2–12 oz packs crawfish tails, defrosted
2 tbsp bacon or unsalted butter, you chose!
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded + chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded + chopped
1 pint yellow or red grape/cherry tomatoes* quartered
1 cup half and half
½ cup light sour cream
juice from one lemon
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground marjoram
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
*yellow grape tomatoes bring out the sweetness of crawfish tails.
Get y'alls mise en place–veg chopped.
In a medium saucepan, over Med/High heat add in either a TBSP of bacon grease or ½ stick of butter until melted and swirl to coat pan.
Add in chopped onion, garlic, both peppers, cover, stirring occasionally + cook until soft (not browned), about 5 mins.
Next add in the tomatoes. No lid.
Once the tomatoes start releasing their juices cook until liquid is reduced by a third then add your crawfish.
Stir mixture until well combined then add ½ + ½, sour cream + lemon juice.
Now add in all your spices, reduce heat to medium.
Go ahead + get your water boiling for pasta.
Add pasta once it comes to a rolling boil, cook until al dente.
Once the pasta is ready, drain then grab a medium size bowl.
Toss pasta in ½ stick unsalted butter + 1 tsp salt.
Set aside.
Now keep an eye on y'alls sauce.
Make sure it doesn’t stick, stir occasionally.
Reduce the liquid by a 1/3, add in 2 tbsp flour to thicken just a bit.
Sauce should appear a bit glossy + when you drag a spoon thru the mixture it should leave a defined trail similar to what you see when you make jam.
Salt + pepper to taste.
Plate up y'alls pasta, pour on the sauce + serve!
And that’s how we do…