Corn and Crawfish Pie…

Name: CORN AND CRAWFISH POT PIE
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 leeks (white and light green parts only, thickly sliced and soaked to remove dirt); 2 carrots (peeled and finely diced); 1 cup celery and leaves (finely diced); 2-3 ears fresh corn (shucked and kernels removed); 1 teaspoon Salt (divided); 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning (divided); 4 Tablespoons butter; 16 oz frozen crawfish tails (thawed, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped); 4 Tablespoons flour; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 cups vegetable stock; 1 refrigerated pie crust (rolled out); 1 egg (beaten)

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Michelle Ferrer
Jul 24, 2017
3 min read

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Crawfish pie. It is the one and only thing my eight year-old son had on his New Orleans bucket list. He had his hopes set on finding a version as good as–or better than–the pie from Vivian’s Cajun Crawfish Pies at downtown St. Petersburg’s Saturday Morning Market. Her version is chock full of crawfish and veggies bathed in a piping hot, perfectly seasoned sauce, and tucked into a flaky, buttery pie crust: my son will devour the entire thing before we can even get a bite. Vivian warned us that we wouldn’t find anything as good in The Big Easy…I didn’t believe her at the time.

Being in the crawfish capital of the world, how difficult could it be to find a pot pie with its signature ingredient? Fairly difficult, actually. We perused menus, stopped in cafes and asked around. Finally, we came to a shop that advertised its crawfish pies on the outside window. When our food arrived, my son’s face brightened–and then his smile fell; their crawfish pie was palm-sized and looked like an empanada. The filling was scant: two of the tiniest fragments of a crawfish tail, a few veggies and barely any sauce. Their pie was fried and greasy. It was nothing like what he was expecting; his disappointment was evident.

As my husband and I ticked off the items on our NOLA bucket list: ghost tour, Cafe du Monde, jambalaya, pralines, art, and bookstores, my son’s only item went unchecked. Vivian was right: we didn’t find another pie in town.

Fast forward 6 months. I was determined to create something that would satisfy my son’s crawfish craving for those times that we couldn’t get to the Saturday market–corn and crawfish pie was born. This dish can be made anytime as frozen crawfish tails are available at Mazzaro’s and Gulf Coast Seafood–no need to cook and shell the live guys. For the fresh components, I used delicate leeks, hearty carrots and celery; the shucked corn I had on hand added sweetness and texture. Trying to mimic the Cajun flavors was a challenge: I was winging it 100%. My end result was saucy and flavorful, teeming with crawfish and veggies, and topped with a lattice crust; my boy cleaned his plate, asked for seconds, and finished the rest off the next day.

After so many years in the kitchen, I am finally feeling confident enough to not always rely on recipes to guide me though every step of the way. I can now trust my palate and knowledge of flavors to come up with something pretty darn tasty; seeing my kiddo clean his plate three times was all the validation I needed. This crawfish pie is not Vivian’s…and that’s ok. We will still have her special treat on those days we make our Saturday morning run and for the other times when the craving hits, we’ll have Michelle’s.

CORN AND CRAWFISH POT PIE

Michelle Ferrer

The amount of corn can vary depending on how corny you like it: I liked the amount that three ears yielded--my family would have preferred less.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 20

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Cajun

Servings people

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 leeks white and light green parts only, thickly sliced and soaked to remove dirt
2 carrots peeled and finely diced
1 cup celery and leaves finely diced
2-3 ears fresh corn shucked and kernels removed
1 teaspoon Salt divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning divided
4 Tablespoons butter
16 oz frozen crawfish tails thawed, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
4 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups vegetable stock
1 refrigerated pie crust rolled out
1 egg beaten

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and leeks to the pan. Sauté until leeks begin to soften and brown; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add carrots and celery to pan, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh corn and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large baking dish. Set aside.
In same pan, melt butter. Sauté crawfish tails for 2-3 minutes, coating well with the butter. Sprinkle in flour and stir well to coat. Allow to cook for 1 minute. Add vegetable stock, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, pepper and remaining salt; stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle boil. When sauce has thickened, transfer to baking dish with vegetables. Stir well to evenly combine.
Depending on the size and shape of your baking dish, top with pie crust--either whole or cut into strips and laid into a criss-cross pattern. Brush beaten egg over pie crust.
Bake 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving; filling will be extremely hot.

Keyword Cajun, corn and crawfish pie, crawfish, crawfish pie, New orleans cuisine, Saturday Morning Market, St Pete Foodies, St Petersburg Foodies Recipes, Vivian's Cajun Crawfish Pies

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July 24, 2017

Michelle Ferrer

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Cajun, corn and crawfish pie, crawfish, crawfish pie, New orleans cuisine, Saturday Morning Market, St Pete Foodies, St Petersburg Foodies Recipes, Vivian's Cajun Crawfish Pies

Written by Michelle Ferrer

Once a pediatric nurse, now a stay at home mom and food blogger at www.myvegtable.com. Often traveling, frequently eating, always thinking about food...

View all posts by: Michelle Ferrer

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November 13, 2024 Ricotta & Mushroom Stuffed Rigatoni Recipe

The temperature here in Florida may still be quite warm, but it is in fact fall and I can’t help but shift into comfort-cooking mode. For me, that means that lots of pasta dishes and comforting soups are frequently in the dinner rotation. A few months ago, I made stuffed rigatoni for the first time and fell in love with both the process of making it and the end result. The rigatoni was filled with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella and provolone cheese and minced mortadella and was served in a spicy tomato sauce. While enjoying this dish, a number of alternative filling possibilities entered my mind and a simple mixture of ricotta and mushroom was one of the first. I’ve been making marinara at least once (sometimes twice) per month, usually on Sundays, for at least ten years now. Over the course of these ten years, tweaks and changes have been made to the recipe and a few years ago, I landed on what works best for my taste. 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October 16, 2024 Beef Kofta and Toum Sauce Recipe

Elevate your appetizer game with these beef kofta skewers that are laced with irresistible spices and baked to juicy perfection. A drizzle of zesty toum sauce adds a garlicky kick, while a cucumber and tomato salad brings a refreshing crunch that complements the meat beautifully. Serve this all with some warm naan bread to round out the dish. Kofta is a popular Middle Eastern dish that is typically made from ground beef, lamb or chicken that is mixed with spices, herbs and often garlic and onion. The mixture is then formed onto skewers and usually grilled or sometimes baked. Kofta is often served with rice, flatbreads, vibrant salads and a sauce like tahini or toum. There are many different variations and it is a beloved dish across many different cultures. I like to serve kofta as an appetizer for a group and often as an entree for my husband and I. My sauce of preference with kofta is usually a homemade toum sauce. Toum sauce is a recent discovery of mine that I had while dining with friends and after one taste, I knew that I loved it and needed to recreate it. It’s a creamy and flavor-packed condiment that is made from a few simple ingredients – a head of garlic, neutral oil, lemon juice and salt. The mixture is formed in a food processor until a creamy sauce forms (similar to the consistency of yogurt). We use ground beef in this kofta variation – a very high quality organic and grass-fed ground beef that can be found at Rollin’ Oats. They have a few different options, but I prefer the Simply Balanced 90/10 selection. Quality is always of the utmost importance to me when it comes to sourcing any ingredient that I use and I can always trust Rollin’ Oats to have the absolute best. Beef Kofta with Toum Sauce Recipe Savor the spiced flavors of juicy beef kofta paired with a garlicky, creamy toum sauce that elevates this Middle Eastern dish to a whole new level. skewers Beef Kofta1 lb ground beef1/4 cup white onion (minced)2 tsp garlic (minced)1/4 cup parsley and mint (finely chopped)1 tbsp olive oil2 tsp all spice2 tsp paprika1 tsp cumin1 tsp coriander 1 tsp salt1/2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp black pepperToum Sauce1 cup garlic cloves (peeled)3 cups neutral oil (grape seed, sunflower, vegetable or canola)1/2 cup lemon juice2 tsps Kosher saltCucumber & Tomato Salad1 tomato (ripe, medium in size & diced)1/2 cup cucumber (diced)1/4 cup basil (finely chopped)1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)To Servenaan breadlemon wedges Toum SauceSlice the garlic cloves in half lengthwise and remove any green sprouts. Transfer the sliced garlic cloves into a food processor and add the kosher salt to the garlic cloves. Process for a minute until the garlic becomes finely minced. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor afterwards. While the food processor is running, slowly pour one to two tablespoons of oil, then stop and scrape down the bowl. Continue adding another tablespoon or two until the garlic starts looking creamy.Once the garlic looks emulsified by the few tablespoons of oil, increase the speed of pouring the oil and alternate with the ½ cup of lemon juice until all the oil and lemon juice is incorporated. This will take about 15 minutes to complete.Transfer the sauce into a glass container and cover with a paper towel in the fridge overnight. Makes about 4 cups. The next day, replace the paper towel with an airtight lid and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.Cucumber & Tomato SaladCombine all ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and refrigerate until the kofta is finished.KoftaIf you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent burning. Combine all kofta ingredients in a medium-sized bowl with your hands until everything is mixed well. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 450F. Place a wire rack onto a baking sheet and brush it with olive oil. After the mixture has been in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, divide it into four even-sized portions. Form each portion into a snake-like shape around each skewer.Bake the kofta for 13-15 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and beginning to brown on top.To ServeServe kofta on a platter with naan, cucumber and tomato salad, toum and lemon wedges. Appetizer, Dinner, Main DishMiddle EasternKofta, Toum Sauce, Baked Kofta
September 4, 2024 Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus & Spicy Chili Crunch Recipe

Low effort and high reward is the name of the game with this take on slow-roasted salmon. The slow-roasting process ensures tender and flakey salmon that melts in your mouth with each bite. The addition of citrus makes this dish quite refreshing while the chili crunch sprinkles in bold and spicy notes. Though the ingredients involved are minimal, together they are the utmost well-balanced. There isn’t a ton of produce in season right now in Florida, but citrus, including orange varietals and grapefruit are goods that you’ll find plenty of during this time of year. Marrying together the invigorating flavors in citrus with a high-quality, fatty piece of wild salmon is quite lovely. The chili crunch aids in adding some texture and the torn fresh dill (or basil) rounds out the dish. Avocado, which is also in season in September, pairs well with all of these ingredients too. If you’d like to also incorporate that, use 1/2 of a ripe avocado and slice it into thin pieces. You can certainly go the extra mile by making your own variation of chili crunch or chili crisp (trust me, it’s much easier than you may think!), but there are plenty of solid options on grocery store shelves these days. One of my favorites is from Momofuku and you can find this at Rollin’ Oats (it’s actually on sale currently). They offer a regular chili crunch, spicy and also a hot honey version. Another reputable brand at Rollin’ Oats is by Mr. Bing – they have a mild and spicy option. When it comes to selecting your salmon, I always suggest reaching for the wild caught versus the farm raised. Rollin’ Oats doesn’t have a dedicated seafood counter; however, they offer quality frozen wild caught salmon that works great for this dish. Just make sure to safely thaw the salmon prior to roasting it. Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus & Spicy Chili Crunch Recipe Discover a new favorite low-effort dinner with this slow-roasted salmon which is paired with vibrant bits of citrus and a spicy assist from chili crunch. 16 ounces salmon (skin on and preferably wild-caught – 1 large piece or two 8 ounce pieces are recommended)1 tsp olive oil1/2 lemon (sliced into thin rounds)1 grapefruit (peel and pith removed and cut into thin rounds and then into halves and quarters)1 orange (peel and pith removed and cut into thin rounds and then into halves and quarters)1/2 tsp salt (plus more, to taste)2 tbsp chili crunch (plus more as needed – choose your favorite brand – I love Momofoku which can be found at Rollin' Oats)dill or basil (fresh & torn into smaller pieces (garnish, optional))avocado (sliced (optional)) Heat oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon on the lined baking sheet brush with olive oil, season with salt and top with the lemon slices.Roast the salmon for an hour and remove from the oven – the salmon should be quite tender and should pull easily away from the salmon's skin in pieces. Don't worry about keeping the salmon filet in one piece – we want it to flake a bit into chunks.To plate, arrange the flaky salmon pieces with citrus and avocado (if using) on a serving platter – there is no right or wrong way to do this, so feel free to get creative with your plating. Top with 2-3 spoon-fulls of chili crunch and garnish with torn dill or basil. Season with more salt as desired. Dinner, Main Course, Main DishAmericanSlow Roasted Salmon, Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus & Chili Crunch
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It all starts by peeling the corn and then grating it with the large holes on a boxed grater. From there, the grated corn mixture is then simmered with a couple of pats of butter and some salt until the polenta thickens a bit. This process only takes about ten minutes. The polenta is then finished with a squeeze of fresh lime. Initially, I had planned to top the fresh corn polenta with poached lobster and some chive butter (which I will be trying soon), but then I found some inspiration for pickled shrimp from a recent episode of a food-related show on television (The Lost Kitchen, for those interested). The shrimp are first poached in some water, lemon and salt. Then, they are placed in a pickling mixture in the refrigerator for a few hours (and up to 24 hours). The pickling mixture makes for tangy and flavorful shrimp that not only work well on this polenta, but also with many other things. These shrimp would work well on some toasty sourdough, tossed in a salad, nestled in some rice or simply on their own as an easy appetizer. For the shrimp, I always strive to use wild caught, but use whatever you can find. Rollin’ Oats has great quality frozen shrimp by Baywinds and Wixter Seafood. Simply thaw the shrimp and devein them with the shells on if they aren’t already deveined (this is easier to do than you think – use a wooden skewer or toothpick, poke it through the side of the shrimp in the middle towards the top and slowly thread and pull the vein out – give it a google for a tutorial). You can also use shrimp that are already peeled and deveined too, but cooking the shrimp with their shell on adds to the flavor and prevents overcooking of the shrimp. Fresh Corn Polenta with Pickled Shrimp Recipe Put summer's fresh corn to good use with this fresh corn polenta recipe. The pickled shrimp add a zesty zing when served atop the creamy polenta. glass bowl or glass Tupperware Poaching the Shrimp12 shrimp (medium to large in size – shell on, but deveined (optional, you can use peeled shrimp if you prefer))6 cups water6 cups ice1 lemon (cut in half)2 1/2 tbsp saltPickling the Shrimp3/4 cup rice wine vinegar2 tbsp sugar2 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)1/2 tsp crushed red pepper1 dried bay leaf1/2 cup olive oilt tsp worcestershire 1 tsp salt1/2 tsp hot sauce (use your preference – I usually opt for Diamond Crystal)1/2 lemon (sliced into small wedges)1/4 cup red onion (sliced thin)Fresh Corn Polenta4 ears corn (husk and silk removed)2 tbsp butter1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)1/2 limeDish Assemblymicro-greens (for garnish – fresh dill would work well too (optional)) Pickling the ShrimpAdd vinegar, sugar, garlic, crushed red pepper and bay leaf to a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Heat mixture for two minutes, stir to combine and cool completely in the refrigerator (30 minutes to an hour).When mixture is cool, stir in olive oil, worcestershire, hot sauce and salt. Then, mix in lemon wedges and sliced onions. Set aside until poached shrimp are ready.Poaching the ShrimpAdd water, juice lemon and lemon halves and salt to a medium pot and bring to a boil.Add deveined shrimp, remove pot from heat and allow shrimp to poach for 5 minutes (or until they turn pink).Add in ice and allow to sit for another 10 minutes.Remove shrimp from pot and discard water and lemon. Peel shrimp (leave tails on if desired, optional) and place into glass bowl or Tupperware for pickling.Pour prepared pickling mixture over the shrimp. Cover shrimp and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours and up to 24 hours.Fresh Corn PolentaGrate corn on the cob with the large holes of a box grater over a medium-size bowl.Heat grated corn, butter and salt over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn mixture thickens – about ten minutes. Taste and season with more salt as needed (polenta should now taste a bit more rich). Remove from heat and stir in juice of 1/2 lime.AssemblyTo plate, add 1/4 corn polenta mixture to each bowl, top with pickled shrimp and garnish with micro-greens or fresh dill. Appetizer, Dinner, Main DishAmericanFresh Corn Polenta, Pickled Shrimp