New Recipe Week 23

This is the recipe that I intended to go with the Friday Jazz post, but Mom had other ideas for my time. Instead I am posting it today and calling it the new to me recipe for the week.

When I think of jazz music I almost immediately think of New Orleans and when I think of New Orleans one of the foods I think of is crayfish. TheHub and I have been  eating some pretty basic meals lately and I wanted something a little different with some nice and spicy heat. (optional, of course)

Crayfish Toast

1 loaf french bread split in half longways
2 tablespoons butter
1 sweet onion (Vidalia's are perfect) chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 5 ounce pack frozen crayfish tail meat, thawed
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons cajun spices
4 ounces shredded monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
sliced green onions (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Split the french loaf in half, place on a baking sheet and set aside.
In a medium sauté pan melt the butter and add the onions and peppers. Cook until they are soft then add the garlic and cook for about a minute just to wilt it. Stir in the crayfish tail meat and the cream cheese and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melty and combined. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the mayo and the cajun seasonings. (If you don't like heat reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon) Using about 2 tablespoons of the mayo mixture spread it on the cut sides of the french bread. Add the cheese, red pepper flakes  and chopped parsley to the remaining mayo. Stir to mix then add the crayfish mixture.  Blend well. Spread on each of the bread halves and pop it into the oven. Cook for about 12 minutes, turn on the broiler and let it broil for a couple of minutes (I did not do that) then sprinkle with the green onion slices (I did not do that either because I had no green onions)

Cut each long half into 2 servings. This will serve 4 for dinner. Add a green salad and call it a meal. This was insanely delicious. I am not sure if frozen crayfish tail meat is available everywhere, but in the south no self respecting store would be without it. You could easily substitute crab, lobster or shrimp for the crayfish or you could get live crayfish, cook, and shuck them if you like to spend hours getting a cup of tail meat. Call me lazy.

And since we are doing a little New Orleans Jazz meal enjoy Professor Longhair's Big Chief