Crawfish Butter

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small skillet
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Wooden spoon or stiff spatula
• •Plastic wrap
• •Sharp knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the butter properly

   Set your butter on the counter a good hour before you start. You want it soft enough to yield when you press it, but still holding its shape. Too cold and it will not blend smoothly with the crawfish. Too warm and it turns greasy and separates. The butter should feel like modeling clay, not pudding.

   If you forgot to take the butter out, cut it into tablespoons and let it sit for 20 minutes. Do not microwave it. Melted spots will never incorporate properly.
2. 2

   Build the spice blend

   Combine the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Stir them together so the heat distributes evenly. This is your foundation. Taste a tiny bit on your finger. It should be warm but not aggressive. You can always add more cayenne later, but you cannot take it out.

3. 3

   Bloom the crawfish

   Melt two tablespoons of your softened butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped crawfish tails and cook for two minutes, stirring gently. The meat will turn from translucent to opaque and release its sweet, briny aroma. Add the minced garlic and cook thirty seconds more, just until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic. Remove from heat immediately and let cool for five minutes.

   This quick sauté concentrates the crawfish flavor and removes excess moisture that would make the butter weep. At Lagniappe, we learned that raw crawfish in butter never tastes as rich as bloomed crawfish.
4. 4

   Combine everything

   Place the remaining softened butter in a large bowl. Add the cooled crawfish mixture, scraping every bit of that flavored butter from the skillet. Sprinkle in the spice blend, green onions, parsley, lemon juice, and hot sauce if using. Beat with a wooden spoon or spatula until everything is evenly distributed. The butter should be pink and speckled, with visible pieces of crawfish throughout.

5. 5

   Taste and adjust

   Here is where you make it yours. Take a small spoonful and spread it on a piece of bread. Taste it. Does it need more salt? More heat? A touch more lemon? Trust your palate. The butter should taste like Louisiana captured in fat: rich, spicy, sweet from the crawfish, bright from the lemon. Adjust until it sings.

   Remember that cold dulls flavor. The butter will taste milder straight from the refrigerator than it does at room temperature. Season it a bit bolder than you think you need.
6. 6

   Shape into logs

   Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on your counter. Spoon about a third of the butter in a rough line down the center. Fold the plastic over and roll it into a tight cylinder about two inches in diameter, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper. Repeat with remaining butter to make three logs. The logs should feel firm and uniform, no air pockets.

7. 7

   Chill until firm

   Refrigerate the logs for at least two hours until solid. Once firm, they will slice into clean rounds that melt beautifully over hot food. For longer storage, wrap the plastic-covered logs in aluminum foil and freeze. They keep for three months frozen and are always ready when you need them.

   Slice the butter while it is still cold. At room temperature it smears rather than cuts. A sharp knife run under hot water makes the cleanest slices.

Chef Tips

• •Use Louisiana crawfish tails, not imported. The flavor is different, and we are trying to make real Cajun food here. Check the package: it should say product of USA.
• •European-style butter with higher fat content makes an even richer result. Look for brands like Plugra or Kerrygold if your store carries them.
• •This butter works magic on grilled steaks, blackened redfish, roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and fresh French bread. At Lagniappe, we put it on everything.
• •For a dinner party trick, slice the butter into rounds before your guests arrive and keep them cold. Set a round on each plate just before you bring the steaks to the table. The presentation is beautiful and the timing is perfect.

Advance Preparation

• •The butter can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, wrapped tightly in plastic.
• •Frozen logs keep for three months. Wrap in plastic, then foil, and label with the date.
• •You can slice rounds from the frozen log without thawing the whole thing. Just return the unused portion to the freezer immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 31g)