Keep those crawfish coming, and save the juice

In the Cajun Capital of Texas, we don’t care if it’s hard work peeling those crawfish. We don’t care if the spices burn our hands. We want some and then we want more. I go for extra spicy and I’ve found a way to get a little more out of a few pounds of mudbugs.

A lot of that flavor is in the heads. If I’m enjoying these out home, usually outside with lots of newspaper on the table, then I bring out a pot to keep some of the clean, cooked heads in. After my meal, I’ll boil them down for a spicy stock that goes in the freezer.

When you want a gumbo, that stock will get you some flavor, quicker.

In addition, I’ve figured out a few more ways to enjoy the stock. Try these:

 

·       Replace all or some of the water with crawfish stock to make a pot of rice. What flavor!

·       Dare you mix some boiled juice into a Bloody Mary?

·       In addition to gumbo, there are creamy soups that this stock can flavor.

·       Boil some corn and potatoes in the stock, even when you don’t have crawfish on hand. It’s a flavor boost.

Culinary Thrill Seekers, let me know what you do with your juice. Read on and let me know how you use tortillas!

 

      “101 Things to Do with a Tortilla” – Who here in Southeast Texas doesn’t have some of these in the fridge? With Taco Tuesday, quick breakfasts, always-there sandwich ideas and versatility going for them, we love ‘em. The only debate here is corn or flour? There’s a place for every edition of our beloved circles of creativity.

Stephanie Ashcraft and Donna Kelly have written this book on 101 ways to discover how a tortilla is your best friend. Send a copy to Texans leaving the nest for college, work or marriage. But read it first. There are some great flavor ideas for tortilla lovers at any stage of culinary thrill seeking. Here area a few:

·       BLT Wraps include some mayo. I envision a side of pickles would plate well with this.

·       Mexican Corn Tortilla Pizzas features refried beans and some ground beef.

·       Pepper Jelly Bites are pretty rolls of cream cheese and jalapeno jelly.

·       Green Chile Tortilla Soup starts easy, with a can of chicken and rice condensed soup.

Don’t forget tortilla desserts:

·       Banana Quesadillas call for cream cheese and caramel sauce.

·       Cherry Enchiladas are  made with a can of pie filling.

·       Strawberry Shortilla is a cutie with fried little rounds of tortilla.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who loves to play with new ways to feature “leftovers.” darraghcastillo@icloud.com