Crawfish Monica

Michael discovered this recipe at The New Orleans Jazzfest which we try to go to every year. It quickly became a favorite of mine. It's out-of-this-world. It is also not something you can eat every day. So relax a little when you see the ingredients and the calorie count. Moderation is key here.

You can also lighten it up by using half the butter and cream. Or just serve less of it with a salad. I suggest going all out and trying it the right way first though. We'll be lightening up the dish in another post.

For this particular recipe, I used all organic ingredients.

New Orleans-Style Crawfish Monica
(Makes 4 servings, 715 calories per serving)

1 stick of unsalted butter
7 cloves of garlic, grated
5 green onions (scallions) chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
1 pound crawfish tails (easy to find down South...sorry New England)
16 ounces half and half
1 Tbsp. salt (add in batches and taste along the way; this can get salty quick)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lemon
Fresh chopped cilantro
8 oz. fusilli pasta

To prepare: In its own pot, prepare the pasta according to the directions. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic, green onions and jalapeno. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the crawfish tails and saute for another 2 minutes. Stir in the half and half . Slowly add the salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Try to only allow a soft simmer. You don't want to boil the cream. If your butter or cream seems to be separating (you can see oil spots), stir with a whisk for a minute.

Add in the cooked pasta and stir well to coat. Let cook for an additional minute. Spoon into bowls and squeeze with lemon and sprinkle with cilantro. The garnishes help add an element of fresh and lightness to an otherwise heavy dish.