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Food & Wine Recipe

Spicy Crawfish Salad on Brioche

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: MAKES 16 TOASTS
  • MAKE-AHEAD

You can enjoy this regional appetizer even if you live far from the bayou: One-pound packages of frozen cooked crawfish tails are now available at specialty food shops and some supermarkets.

  1. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  2. 1/4 cup minced light green leek
  3. 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  4. 1 pound thawed crawfish tails with their juices
  5. 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
  6. Salt
  7. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  8. 1 small celery rib, finely chopped
  9. 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
  10. 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded dill pickle
  11. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  12. 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  13. 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  14. 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  15. Cayenne pepper
  16. 8 thin slices brioche loaf, crusts removed, slices halved to form triangles
  17. 2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato
  18. Basil sprigs, for garnish
  1. Melt the butter in a medium sauce-pan. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the crawfish tails with their juices and the bell pepper and season with salt. Cook until the liquid is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until chilled, about 1/2 hour.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the celery, red onion, pickle, lemon juice, garlic, paprika and celery salt. Stir in the crawfish and season with salt and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
  3. Toast the brioche. Top each triangle with 1 tablespoon of the crawfish salad, garnish with some of the chopped tomato and a basil sprig and serve.

Suggested Pairing

The crisp acidity and bright fruit of a Sauvignon Blanc will set off the flavors of the spicy crawfish.