From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Crawfish Bread I don't know who invented crawfish bread, but it's become a very popular item at local festivals. It's easy to make. 4 Tbs. butter 1/4 cup flour 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper 1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 cup crawfish or shrimp stock, or water Pinch dried thyme 1 bay leaf 1/3 tsp. chopped garlic 2 cups crawfish tails, with fat if possible 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced 1 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/3 cup sliced green onions Salt and pepper to taste 18-inch section of poor boy bread, cut end to end, and then into six 6-inch pieces 4 oz. shredded pepper Jack cheese 4 oz. shredded fontina cheese Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 1. In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter and heat it to a bubble. Add flour gradually and stir constantly over medium-high heat to make a light brown roux. 2. Lower heat to medium and add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Saute until limp--about five minutes. Keep stirring to avoid burning the roux. 3. Add the wine, stock, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic, then bring to a boil. Simmer about five minutes more, or until somewhat thickened. 4. Add crawfish tails, tomatoes, parsley, and green onions. Simmer for about eight to ten minutes, until sauce can be picked up with a fork. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. 5. Sprinkle the cheese cheese over the poor boy bread segments. Top with the crawfish sauce, plcing it right down the center, leaving cheese exposed along the sides. Place the breads on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until the edges of the bread begin to brown and the cheese is melted. Serves six to twelve. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com