Crawfish, Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Crawfish have made their way north to Arkansas. Our local food truck CJ's Cajun Station has opened for business. They only open during crawfish season. I am hoping one day he opens a restaurant. Here comes two crawfish recipes this week.

1/2 cup Butter

3 tablespoons Canola Oil

1 cup Onions, chopped

1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 cup Celery, chopped

1 teaspoon Garlic, minced

1 pound medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound Crawfish tails

1/2 cup Wondra Flour

3 quarts Seafood or Chicken Stock

3 large Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch chunks

4 ears Yellow Corn, kernels cut off and cob scraped (see note)

1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground White Pepper

1/2 cup Half-and-Half

2 Green Onions, sliced for garnish

Note: Scarping corncobs extracts th starchy liquid left after cutting off the kernels. To do this, hold cobs over a large bowl and tun the blunt side of a large knife firmly against them. Let the milky liquid collect in the bowl, and reserve it for the recipe.

In a large stockpot, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add vegetables and cook unit onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, shrimp and crawfish. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in stock, potatoes, corn, and corncob liquid. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add dry seasonings and mix well. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Stir in half-and-half; simmer 5 minutes more. Garnish with green onions before serving.

Enjoy!!!

Good Cooking, Good Eating and Good Living!!!