Crawfish Bisque Recipe

Prepare Filling

If using raw crawfish, rinse and devein tails, then roughly chop so pieces are small but not mushy. If using cooked tails, chop finely. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup celery, 1/4 cup green bell pepper and 2 tsp minced garlic. Sauté until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine chopped crawfish, cooled sautéed vegetables, 1/2 cup flour, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup cold milk, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix until just combined; do not overwork. The mixture should hold together when squeezed; if too wet add up to 2 tbsp additional flour, if too dry add a touch more milk (1 tsp at a time).

Shape the mixture into small boulettes (about 1 1/4 inch diameter) using a spoon or small cookie scoop — you should get about 18–24 boulettes depending on size. Place on a tray while you heat oil.

Fry Boulettes

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat to 350°F (175°C) or until a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 15–20 seconds. Fry the boulettes in batches, turning so they brown evenly, about 3–4 minutes total until golden and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a rack or paper towels to drain. Keep warm while you finish the bisque.

Combine 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup very finely diced yellow bell pepper and 1 tbsp minced shallot in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and taste for balance — adjust sugar or vinegar if needed. Stir in 1 tbsp sliced chives if using. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to marry flavors (can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated).

If you have crawfish shells/heads, place them in a saucepan with 3 cups water, bring to a simmer and simmer gently 20–25 minutes to make a quick shell stock. Strain and reserve stock. If not using shells, use 3 cups fish or low-sodium chicken stock.

In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped celery and 1/4 cup diced green pepper and 1 tsp minced garlic. Sauté until softened, 4–5 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp flour over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, 1–2 minutes to form a blonde roux. Gradually whisk in 3 cups strained crawfish or fish stock and 2 tbsp dry white wine (if using), scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Add 1/2 lb cooked chopped crawfish tails (or the reserved tail meat if you used shells to make stock), 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp hot sauce if using. Simmer gently 3–4 minutes to heat crawfish through.

Lower heat and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 tsp lemon juice. Heat until just warmed; do not boil after adding cream. Stir in 1 tbsp chopped parsley and adjust seasoning to taste. If the bisque is too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional stock or water to reach desired consistency.

Ladle the hot bisque into warmed bowls. Nestle 3–4 warm crawfish boulettes into each bowl. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of the sweet pepper relish over the boulettes (or to the side) for a bright sweet-acid contrast. Garnish with a few extra cooked crawfish tails and 1 tsp chopped green onion or chives per bowl.

Serve immediately with crusty bread or crackers and lemon wedges on the side.