Crawfish With Fried Green Tomatoes

This is a delicious recipe with Louisiana crawfish, fried green tomato slices and a creamy vegetable sauce.

Ingredients:

Louisiana Crawfish:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 2 ounces *tasso, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/4 cup mixed green, red and yellowbell peppers, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup half-moon leek slices
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 8 ounces crawfish tails
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon butter, chilled

Fried Green Tomatoes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 large green tomatoes
• Vegetable oil for frying

Garnish:

• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 boiled crawfish (optional)

Creole Seasoning:

• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/4 cup granulated garlic
• 1/4 cup granulated onion
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
  

Directions:

1. For the Creole seasoning, combine the salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Spoon into an airtight storage container. Makes 1 1/4 cups.
2. For the crawfish, cook the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half. Sauté the garlic and tasso in 1 teaspoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the tasso begins to brown. Add the bell peppers, leeks and Creole seasoning. Sauté until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
3. Add the crawfish tails and brandy. Ignite the brandy and allow the flames to subside. Stir in the reduced cream, thyme and green onions.
4. Reduce the heat and add the chilled butter, whisking constantly until thickened. Keep warm over low heat.
5. For the tomatoes, mix the flour with the Creole seasoning in a bowl. Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl. Pour the bread crumbs into a bowl.
6. Cut each tomato into 1/2-inch thick slices, discarding the end pieces. Coat the slices with the seasoned flour. Dip in the egg wash and press into the bread crumbs to coat evenly.
7. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and add the tomato slices. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
8. To serve, place a slice of green tomato in the center of each of 4 serving plates. Spoon the crawfish sauce over the slices and top with the remaining slices. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and a boiled crawfish.