Name: The Camphouse - Diamondhead, MS Cajun Delight Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta; 1 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water); 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water; 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 8 oz uncooked crawfish tails (or frozen, thawed); 8 oz smoked Andouille or kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/4"; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cup yellow onion, small dice; 1 cup green bell pepper, small dice; 3 tbsp celery stalks, small dice; 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbs all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp unsalted butter (additional for roux); 1 cup chicken stock; 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream; 1 tbs tomato paste; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp hot sauce; 1 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional); 1 whole bay leaf; 1 tbs lemon juice; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 2 tbsp scallions (green parts), thinly sliced; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)

Method

Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook 12 oz bowtie pasta according to package al dente (usually 9–11 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Seafood & Sausage

Season shrimp

Pat shrimp dry and toss with 1/2 teaspoon Creole/Cajun seasoning and a pinch of black pepper.

In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When hot, add sliced smoked sausage and cook 3–4 minutes until browned on edges. Remove sausage to a plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque. Remove shrimp to the plate with sausage. If using raw crawfish tails, quickly sauté them 1–2 minutes until opaque; if frozen/thawed, just warm through for 1 minute. Remove and keep warm with sausage and shrimp.

Trinity & Mushrooms

Using the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add a touch more oil if pan is dry. Add diced onion, bell pepper and celery (the trinity). Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent.

Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook 3–4 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and start to brown. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Creole Cream Sauce

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and add 2 tablespoons butter to the cleared space. When melted, sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the butter to make a quick blond roux. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the raw flour taste is gone but the roux remains pale.

Gradually whisk in 1 cup chicken stock to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Add 1 cup half-and-half (or cream) slowly while whisking to combine smoothly. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves and 1 bay leaf.

Bring sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 4–6 minutes until slightly thickened. If sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/2–1 cup reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to reach desired consistency.

Combine & Finish

Return browned sausage, shrimp and crawfish to the skillet with the sauce. Stir to combine and heat through 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional) for extra heat.

Add drained bowtie pasta to the pan and toss gently to coat in the Creole cream sauce. If needed, loosen with a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water to evenly coat the pasta.

Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and sliced scallions. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley or scallions and an extra pinch of Creole seasoning if desired.