Bayou Pasta Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt and the linguine. Cook until al dente, about 8–9 minutes (follow package for exact time). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the linguine and set aside, tossing with a little olive oil if desired to prevent sticking.

Season shrimp

Pat the 12 jumbo shrimp dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp kosher salt. Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the spice mix until evenly coated.

Cook shrimp

Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the shrimp in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary). Cook 1.5–2 minutes per side, or until a dark crust forms and shrimp are opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Sweat aromatics

In the same skillet (wipe out and return or use a clean large sauté pan), melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 1 cup finely diced yellow onion, 1 stalk finely diced celery, and 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Develop flavor base

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste and lightly toast the tomato paste.

Deglaze and simmer

Add 1/2 cup dry white wine (or seafood stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up brown bits. Allow the liquid to reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Then pour in 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock and 1 cup heavy cream, stirring to combine.

Season and thicken

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer 4–6 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.

Add crawfish

Fold in 1 cup cooked crawfish tails and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Warm just until the crawfish are heated through, about 1–2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen to desired consistency.

Finish sauce

Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated for extra creaminess.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add the drained linguine to the skillet with the creamy crawfish sauce. Toss gently over low heat to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce that clings to the pasta (start with 1/4 cup). Cook together 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.

Plate

Divide pasta among 4 plates. Arrange 3 blackened jumbo shrimp on top of each portion. Spoon any accumulated juices from the shrimp plate back over pasta.

Garnish and serve

Sprinkle chopped green onions and additional chopped parsley over each plate. Serve with lemon wedges and extra grated Parmesan at the table. Offer additional hot sauce if desired.