How to Peel Crawfish

Crawfish. Mudbugs. Crawdads. Crayfish. We can argue about their name all day long, but there is no arguing their unique and delicious taste! At Cajun Grocer we specialize in Premium Select Crawfish. We only carry JUMBO, LARGE and MEDIUM sized crawfish.

Unfortunately, this year Louisiana received harsh winter weather, which we are NOT accustomed to. This weather affected lots of Louisianans, but had a big impact on our crawfish farmers. This season is off to a very slow start. Beware of websites that are already offering “Select Crawfish.” We will wait until the crawfish are to our standards. No exceptions.

Keep checking our Facebook and website for updates. We will let you know as soon as they arrive. But in the mean time, let’s talk about pinchin’ tails! Crawfish tails, of course.

Crawfish are a Cajun culinary custom. People who didn’t grow up eating them could have a little trouble peeling mudbugs! So, we’re here to help!

Step 1:

Separate the tail and the heady by holding the tail in one hand and the head in the other.

Step 2:

Twist your hands in opposite directions.

Step 3:

Squeeze the sides of the tail. You will hear the shell crack and you can start peeling it away from the meat.

Step 4:

Grasp the fan of the tail in one hand and the meat in the other and pull.

Step 5:

Enjoy! You’re a crawfish peelin’ pro!

Optional Steps:

Suck the head. We know, we know; it sounds crazy, but trust us on this one.

Try the claws. They’re a little hard to get into, but worth the work.

King Cake: A Royal History

If we had to make a list of our favorite things about Mardi Gras, well, it would be a very long list. One thing that would definitely be near the top is King Cake. Louisianans get to indulge in the round, royal treat but once a year. There are a few things that can’t be disputed. Like, King Cake is delicious, nothing goes better with a cup of New Orleans coffee than a flakey, gooey, frosted slice of King Cake, and King Cake is delicious. We said that last one twice, didn’t we? The origins of King Cakes and the ritual of the baby are a little more difficult to clear up. So let’s give it a try.

Origin of King Cake

King Cake “season” officially begins 12 days after Christmas and is known as the Feast of the Epiphany. The Epiphany is said to mark the arrival of the three wise men. A long-standing, celebratory tradition was, and still is, to bake a sweet treat. As an ode to the three kings, the dessert was referred to as “A King’s Cake.”

King Cakes, like most Cajun cuisine, evolved from humble origins. The original cake was a very simple ring of dough with minimal decorations; a tradition we still honor. You can order a traditional King Cake here. Today our King Cakes are made of decadent brioche dough. Then the dough is filled; we have 18 fillings ranging from Bavarian Cream Cheese to Praline Pecan from Blueberry to Apple, and everything in between. The cake is baked to flakey, golden perfection then iced and topped with purple, green and gold sugar.

The Baby

Now, let’s talk about the baby. This is where you will see Cajun folklore at its best. Many myths and mysteries surround the tradition. There is a small plastic baby with every King Cake, which is now inserted into the cake before it’s served. The baby is intended to represent Jesus. Whoever finds the baby is responsible for supplying next year’s King Cake and subsequently receives a year of good luck.

Ok, let’s take it back a few hundred years. The hidden object was once a bean, then a pecan or jeweled ring. People who found these objects would be crowned the King or Queen of the Mardi Gras Ball. Legend has it that around 1950 a traveling salesman, who purchased a surplus of tiny porcelain dolls, approached a famous New Orleans baker. He liked the idea of hiding the dolls in his cakes. The rest is history.

Today, we proudly continue these traditions. And boy are we glad, because King Cakes are delicious. Oh, yeah, we’ve mentioned that, right? If you are a seasoned King Cake veteran or if you have never tried one, head over to our website and order one, or a few. We can ship across the US, so that you can impress your office, add something special to a family gathering or celebrate your own private Mardi Gras! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Nikki's Famous Crawfish Dip

Crawfish dip is a party favorite! It’s perfect for football games and backyard BBQs.  This might just be the easiest way to become the hero of a party.  Everyone will love you for this dip.  And you won’t believe how simple it is.  Just order the ingredients from www.Cajungrocer.com.

Ingredients

1 lb frozen peeled crawfish tails, thawed

¼ cup butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp ZATARAIN’S Crab & Shrimp Boil Seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp ZATARAIN’S Creole Seasoning

1 ½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Instructions

Place the crawfish tails into a food processor and pulsed until roughly chopped.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the crawfish tails, garlic, crab boil, salt and Creole seasoning. 

Cook and stir until garlic is toasted.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese until it has melted.

Serve the dip warm or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Nikki’s Famous Crawfish dip is famous for a reason! It will put that Cajun spice in any party.  Remember, there is only one place to get authentic Cajun products at unbelievably low prices, and that’s www.Cajungrocer.com.  

Red Beans, My Way

Red Beans and Rice is a New Orleans tradition.  This dish is traditionally served on Mondays, but Red Beans, My Way is so simple and so delicious you will be making it any day of the week.  This will quickly become a family favorite.  To have authentic Red Beans, you have to have authentic ingredients and those are available exclusively at www.Cajungrocer.com.

Ingredients

¼ cup of bacon drippings

3 ½ cup of chopped yellow onions

2 cups chopped green bell peppers

1 ½ cups of chopped celery

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 lb cooked, cubed ham

1 lb Savoie’s Smoked Sausage, cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices

½ lb salt pork, chopped

3 lbs Camellia Red Kidney beans, picked over and winsed with cool water

Water or chicken broth

Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning to taste

¾ tsp crumbled dried thyme

¼ tsp crumbled dried basil

4 bay leaves

Chopped green onions for garlic

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the bacon drippings over medium heat.

Add the onions, bell peppers and celery and cook, stirring, until they are lightly golden, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for three minutes.

Add the ham, sausage and salt pork.

Cook for five minutes.

Add the beans and add enough water or chicken broth to cover.

Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper.

Add the thyme, basil and bay leaves.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low.

Cook, partially covered, for about two hours, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender.

Add more water or broth if the mixture becomes dry.  

If you like the beans to be creamy, puree about one-third of the beans in a food processor, in batches and return to the pot.  Cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Serve hot, garnished with green onion and parsley, over rice.

Red Beans, My Way is perfect for a family meal, comfort food, a pot-lock dinner or just because! Make sure you keep the recipe authentic by ordering the ingredients from www.Cajungrocer.com

Spicy Pizza Bites

There is no better combination than Cajun and Italian.  And we all know that pizza is a win-win menu item.  This appetizer has Cajun spice and Italian flavor.  Throw away those frozen, store-bought pizza snacks and follow this recipe to make an appetizer that will wow everyone who tries it.  For authentic Cajun ingredients go to www.Cajungrocer.com.

Ingredients

1 lb hot pork sausage

1 lb ground beef

2 Tbsp oregano

½ tsp garlic salt

1 Tbsp TABASCO Spicy Ketchup

½ tsp Cajun power Worcestershire Sauce

1 lb Velveeta cheese, grated

1 loaf cocktail rye bread

½ cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

Brown sausage and ground meat.

Drain off fat.

Add oregano, garlic, salt, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and Velveeta and stir until cheese melts.

Spread on slices of rye bread and top with mozzarella.

Arrange on a cookie sheet and freeze. Or serve immediately.

Store in plastic, airtight bags in freezer until ready to serve.

Bake desired amount at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

These are great snack for kids, not only because of its taste, but because the kids can help make them! This is a great homemade go-to to keep in your freezer.  For more recipe ideas and the freshest Cajun ingredients visit www.Cajungrocer.com.