Crawfish Imperial

crawfish, mayonnaise, bread, onions, celery, mustard, peppers, garlic, paprika, butter, parsley, onion powder, oregano, thyme

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
Salt
Cayenne
1 pound peeled Louisiana crawfish tails
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions, green part only
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Creole or whole-grain mustard
Hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs
Creole seasoning (Essence), recipe follows
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions for Crawfish Imperial Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, peppers, and celery. Season with salt and cayenne. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the crawfish tails and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let cool for about 30 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the crawfish mixture with the garlic, parsley, green onions, and 3/4 cup mayonnaise, mustard, and hot sauce. Mix well. Spoon the mixture into 4 individual gratin dishes or scallop shells. Mix together the bread crumbs, the remaining mayonnaise, and Creole seasoning. Spread the top of the crawfish mixture with this mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Read the full directions on Food Network