Crawfish Monica

Jazzy Mac and Cheese

Yield

4 portions

Time

1 hour

Equipment

Medium Saucepan
Large Saucepan for Pasta Boil
Pasta Strainer
Whisk
Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

Pasta1 # Rotini Pasta4 cups Fresh waterSalt (for the pasta boil)
Roux1 stick butter
Trinity1/2 Spanish (Yellow) Onion1 Red Bell Pepper2 Table Cajun Season (Tony's works)Green onion
Pope4 Cloves Garlic
Liquid¼ cups White wine (or Dry Vermouth)4 cup Heavy Cream1 whole lemon juice
Cheese3 cup grated Parmagan Regiano.
Protein2 # Crawfish tail (or shrimp)
Dredge½ cup AP Flour¼ cup corn starch2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning ( see page XXX)
Fry2 cup peanut oil
GarnishFresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Bring salted water to boil, boil pasta to al dente. Drain and reserve. Continue with the recipe while pasta boils.
Pat all seafood dry and season with salt. Reserve half of the seafood and set aside for the final fold of cream sauce. Dredge and fry remaining seafood. Hold on a paper towel.
Chop Trin to a small dice, or pulse in a food processor until the size of grated carrot.
Begin Roux: Begin Melting Butter in the sauce pan, add flour and whisk in. Roux should be the consistency of wet sand, and a spoon should be able to pull through it and slowly come back together. Bring roux to a blonde color.
Turn roux to high heat and add trinity. Saute until onions are translucent. Add pope and saute until garlic is fragrant.
Deglaze with vermouth until fond is released from pan, using wooden spat to emulsify. Add Stock and bring to a soft simmer. Add cream, and begin reduction.
Add drained al dente pasta to the cream mixture. Reduce until the consistency of Mac and Cheese. Check with a heat proof spat, and fold from the bottom of the pan.
Fold in held seafood, and temper for 5-7 minutes.
Plate and garnish with fried seafood, squeeze of lemon, and fresh parsley. Plating instructions:

Why It Works

The rotini is a great shape for walking around in a bowl, and to hold sauce, This also can hot hold for Mardi Gras parties or tailgates or music festivals.

Pairings

Beer!