If you are just now finding this post and didn’t read how to prepare crawdads, please read this little introduction. That post will also explain why I use the term “crawdad” and “crawdaddies” instead of crawfish and mudbug. Just so you know.
Interesting fact: Just like crawdads are in the crustacean family, so are rolley pollies. Did you know rolley pollies breathe with gills?
Moving along…
After you’ve pinched the tails and removed the meat, you’ll need to devein the crawdad tails like you would shrimp. It is actually quite easy: Just grab the little stringy thing and pull it straight back. Tadah! The crawdad is deveined.
Two pounds of uncooked crawdads will equal this much meat. Not a whole lot, but perfect for the following recipe I adapted from Real Cajun Recipe’s Crawfish Monica. Go there for even more delicious Cajun recipes!
Screwed Up Texan’s Crawdad Monica
1-2 pounds of cooked crawdad tail meat
1 pound angel hair pasta (you can use any kind of pasta you prefer)
3 T real butter (but who’s really counting)
1 pint or so of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup freshly minced onion
1 medium tomato, diced
1 T minced garlic
Salt, Black Pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasoning to taste
Parmesan cheese, if desired
First heat your skillet on medium high and add the butter. Let the butter melt almost completely.
Then add the minced onion and garlic and simmer until the onions are golden and translucent.
Next, pour the pint of heavy whipping cream into the skillet. Note that I don’t really ever measure my ingredients exactly hence the mason jar.
Allow the heavy whipping cream to thicken and bubble. Stir occasionally and place the heat on low. Season with salt, black pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasonings.
Add the diced tomato.
Add the crawdad tails and cook just a little more until the tails are heated.
Finally, place a mound of angel hair pasta on a plate and top with the crawdad cream sauce. Add additional seasonings to taste and top with Parmesan cheese if desired.
