Crawfish Mashed Potatoes
Executive Chef David Woodward
Biloxi, Miss.
Crawfish are freshwater crustaceans resembling tiny lobsters. Although they are native to the bayous and swamps of Louisiana, crawfish are also being cultivated in ponds. For a side dish with New Orleans flair, add the cooked shellfish to mashed potatoes along with Creole seasonings.
Ingredients
10 lb. Idaho russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-in. chunks
4 tbsp. Creole crab boil spices
2 lb. crawfish tail meat and fat
20 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 lb. unsalted butter
Salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
Steps
- In a large pot of cold water, combine potatoes and Creole spices; bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; cover and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and return to pot; keep warm.
- In med. saucepan, combine crawfish and cream. Over low heat, heat until warm.
- Add warm crawfish mixture to potatoes and mash with a potato masher until incorporated. Add butter in 2-in. pieces; mash until fairly smooth.
- To serve, season with salt and pepper to taste. (Careful with the salt; the crab boil usually already contains salt.)
Photograph courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission