Bayou Pasta Recipe

Cook linguine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz linguine and cook 1 minute less than package instructions for al dente (about 8–9 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.

Prepare broth base

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbs unsalted butter. Add 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 1 cup heavy cream. Warm gently until just below simmering, reduce heat to low and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Brown sausage

Slice 6 oz andouille or smoked sausage into 1/4" rounds. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbs oil (or use a little of the butter), and brown sausage 3–4 minutes until edges are crisp. Remove sausage to a plate and reserve drippings.

Sweat aromatics

In the same skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbs butter if needed. Add 1 minced shallot and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Build sauce

Stir in 1 tbs tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Deglaze with 1 tbs white wine and scrape up browned bits. Add 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp Cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp Creole or Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.

Add crawfish and finish

Add 8 oz crawfish tails and the reserved browned sausage to the skillet. Pour in the warmed cream-broth mixture and bring to a gentle simmer. Let the sauce reduce 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 cup grated Parmesan until melted and integrated. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to reach a glossy, clingy consistency. Adjust salt and black pepper to taste. Finish with 1 tbs chopped parsley and 1 tbs lemon juice.

Toss with pasta

Add the cooked linguine to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat, 1–2 minutes, allowing pasta to absorb some sauce. If needed, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen. Remove from heat.

Season shrimp

Pat 8 jumbo shrimp dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, and salt and black pepper to taste. Rub shrimp with 2 tsp vegetable or olive oil, then coat evenly with the spice mix.

Blacken shrimp

Heat a heavy skillet (cast-iron preferred) over high heat until smoking hot. Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until blackened and opaque. Avoid overcrowding; cook in batches if necessary. Remove shrimp to a plate and keep warm.

Plate and garnish

Divide the creamy crawfish linguine among 4 plates (serves 4). Top each portion with 2 blackened jumbo shrimp. Drizzle each plate with 1 tsp olive oil, sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Serve

Serve immediately while hot. Offer extra grated Parmesan and hot sauce or Creole butter on the side if desired.