The Texas Foodie Spring 2020 | Page 27

Crawfish Grits What to do with your leftover tails STORY BY PENNYLYNN WEBB W hen the party is over, the real work begins. There are typically leftovers after every boil. Crawfish doesn’t keep long in its crustaceans after they been cooked. You’ll need to peel, rinse, drain, pat dry and freeze them for future use. There are so many great ways to cook them up. As Forest Gump might say, there’s crawfish bisque, crawfish beignets, crawfish pie, crawfish bread, crawfish gumbo, crawfish grits, crawfish fried rice, crawfish etouffee, crawfish jambalaya, and, well, you get the picture. Photo courtesy of creolecontessa.com Ingredients 1 lb crawfish, peeled, rinsed 1/2 cup beef broth, low sodium 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup white onion, diced 1/4 cup celery, diced 1/4 cup green onions, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon creole seasoning 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoon butter, unsalted extra virgin olive oil For The Grits: 1 cup grits 1 cup water 1 cup milk 1 cup beef or chicken broth, low so- dium + extra to thin grits as they cook 1 stick of butter 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1 teaspoon creole seasoning 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder hot sauce to serve Instructions Prepare the grits first. In a large pot bring all liquids to boil, add butter and seasonings. Slowly stir in grits while whisking nonstop for about two minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook grits, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Adding extra broth as needed to keep the grits thin. Add cheese and whisk well, add more broth if needed. To Prepare the Crawfish: Rinse crawfish, drain, pat dry. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and saute for about 5 minutes, add 1/2 the spices and garlic, mix well and cook 1 minute more. Add crawfish and remaining spices, cook for about 5 minutes, add broth, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes on low. Serve over hot cooked grits. T HE T EX AS F O O D I E 27