Crayfish

[TonyV]

Got liceince and traps - how to prepare / cook

[DTCwordfan]

Ecrevisses a la Bordelaise

This is the traditional French recipe for cooking crayfish which are served whole and unshelled. The dish can be prepared the day before and re-heated gently. To serve 4 people


Ingredients:
•12-16 whole crayfish
•3 cup of dry white wine
•4-6 carrots
•2 tablespoons of tomato paste
•4 onions
•8 tablespoons of cream
•300gm butter
•Salt & pepper
•8 sprigs parsley
•Cayenne pepper to taste
•2 bay leaves

Also, I like to bake them - smear in olive oil, some lemon juice, black pepper and bake on a tray for about 5-8 mins depending on size....temp around 220 - serve with some flat parsley....

they bbq well too.

[Mamyalynne]

More hints and ideas here Tony

http://crayfishking.com/prep.htm

[TonyV]

You don't need to let them swim in clean water then?

[TonyV]

Mamy - was just going to flash fry - with some garlic and ginger and a bit of this and that sauce

[woofgang]

I did wonder about that..I know generally with shellfish they need to be starved to clean out the gut. Are you fishing in the UK Tony? Do you get taught how to distinguish between the imported and and the native (protected) ones? and have they sorted the virus transmission issue?

[TonyV]

Woolfgang - baskets are in UK - It is really difficult to find native ones now - its just a catch and release policy on native species -would normally let anything clean the track out a losing war - same with red / grey sqiuirrells-

[Clanad]

They're called crawfish here in the U.S. and, yes, freshly caught crawfish require purging but that's fairly simple. Our relatives in the southern U.S. are past masters at preparing Cajun crawfish...

When you catch the critters, place them in an ice chest (one used for picnics) filled with ice and a little water (crawfish need air and can't stay submerged for very long... a dead fresh crawfish is a deadly crawfish as far as eating is concerned). Once you get them home, obtain a large box of common table salt... say 26 ounce size (we prefer non-iodized or Kosher). Drain the chest of the ice and fill with cold water and sprinkle half the 26 ounce box of salt over them... stir enough to mix the salt. Wait 20 minutes, drain, rinse and do it once more (don't drain it on the lawn... kills grass). If any crawfish float to the top and don't move during the second salt bath, get rid of them.
After 20 more minutes, rinse again... now they're ready for "fixin'". In Cajun country there's a spice bag available at grocery stores called "Crab Boil"... one just throws it in a large pot with enough water to cover the crawfish and boil until they turn a bright red... have plenty of Louisiana Hot Sauce or Tobasco available... Yum!

[TonyV]

Cajun is good - just wanted cheap prawns lol

[woofgang]

sorry i didn't understand a word of that
"TonyV
Question Author
Woolfgang - baskets are in UK - It is really difficult to find native ones now - its just a catch and release policy on native species -would normally let anything clean the track out a losing war - same with red / grey sqiuirrells-"

[TonyV]

woolf - which bit did not understand?

[woofgang]

any part of it????

[TonyV]

you mean crayfish or answer?

[woofgang]

The answer...I guess basket are the interloper crayfish but the rest .....sorry I am totally lost.