07-29-2004, 03:59 AM
The Trib ran this story in its food section Wednesday. A follow up story on how to catch them will run in Thursday's paper.
[url "http://www.sltrib.com/food/ci_2383668"]http://www.sltrib.com/food/ci_2383668[/url]
The lobster's little freshwater cousin proves good taste runs in the family
By Kathy Stephenson
The Salt Lake Tribune
![[Image: clear.gif]](http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/std/clear.gif)
![[Image: 20040727__FEA_CRAWCOOKING_0728~2_200.JPG]](http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site297/20040727__FEA_CRAWCOOKING_0728~2_200.JPG)
Cooking Crayfish at Strawberry Reservoir. (Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune)
Editor's Note: Tomorrow's Outdoors Section will feature a story on how to catch a Crawdad.
STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR - In the beginning, we had doubts.
How could a 4-inch crustacean known as a "mudbug" that dwells in the rocky, algae-covered banks of this reservoir be dinner?
Well, kids, always believe in daddy - or in this case, "crawdaddy."
Surprisingly, we swarmed around the steaming pot of freshly cooked crawdads - furiously sucking sweet, juicy meat from their red-orange shells. From the savvy businessman who recently lived in Asia, to the 10-year-old who thought she despised seafood, we all agreed: Crawdads are good eatin'!
It took the whole party several hours to put a fresh crayfish dinner on the table, The Tribune discovered during a recent trip to Strawberry Reservoir in Wasatch County.
Crayfish (the more common name for the species in Utah) are like miniature lobsters, and cooks need about 40 per person to make a meal. Using traps baited with raw chicken legs, the anglers on this trip took almost three hours to collect more than 300 crayfish.
Like their larger cousin the lobster, crayfish start out blackish, bluish or green and then turn red-orange when cooked. And there are dozens of different ways to prepare them: boiled with lemon, onions and Cajun spices; sauted in garlic and butter; broiled; grilled; and even baked in bread.
Aficionados prefer to cook crayfish whole, as they enjoy the flavorful, yellow "butter" inside the "head," which really refers to the midsection. A delicacy in many parts of the world, the cranial tidbits are still too exotic for most people.
As a result, most dishes with crayfish (also known as crawfish in other parts of the country) call for cooking only the tails and larger claws.
Maybe the most traditional recipe is crawfish touffe, "the quintessential dish of south Louisiana, perhaps even more so than jambalaya and gumbo," writes Eula Mae Dorre in her cookbook, Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen (Harvard Common Press, $22.95).
touffe, which means to "smother in its own juices," is a mixture of sauted onions, bell peppers, celery and crawfish tails, usually served over cooked white rice.
Dive right into dinner: As an avid scuba diver, Bruce Argyle has been catching and cooking crayfish for more than 15 years.
"It gives you a reason to get out of the house and do stuff with your kids," the emergency room doctor explained during a recent telephone interview from his Utah County home.
Argyle, 53, said scuba diving is an especially productive way to gather crayfish.
Divers can collect four dozen or more in about 30 minutes if they know how to keep from getting pinched.
With that kind of success rate, the father of seven - five of whom also scuba dive - had to find ways to enjoy the critters. Initially "we would come home from the lake, boil them and dunk them in barbecue sauce like French fries," he said.
Over the years, Argyle has become more adventurous, attempting dozens of different recipes. All of them are posted on the diving Web site he maintains at http://www.utahdiving.com .
His featured recipe this month is Garlic Crawdad Angel Hair Pasta, one of Argyle's favorites.
Another recipe good for late summer, he said, is Utah Crawdaddy Zuke. In this dish, thinly sliced pieces of zucchini and crayfish tails are cooked in butter and liberally seasoned with pepper.
Argyle admits that most people view crayfish as grasshoppers - something someone would eat only if stranded and faced with starvation.
He finds them sweet and mild.
"They are not fishy, and not nearly as strong as the flavor of shrimp or lobster," he said. "It's tasty stuff."
A heap of cleaning: As with other shellfish, crayfish meat can deteriorate rapidly if handled improperly.
The meat needs to be stored at 40 degrees or below and then cooked and eaten as soon as possible, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Web site (http://www.wildlife.utah .gov/fishing/crayfish.html ).
Crayfish, with their rough shells and numerous joints that catch dirt and algae, also need to be washed thoroughly.
Jim Gunderson, an employee at Fish Tech Outfitters in Holladay, served as our cleaning and culinary instructor at Strawberry Reservoir.
He filled a large bucket with ice-cold water and dropped the crayfish in whole as they were caught in our net traps.
Then he gave the water a vigorous swishing, which turned the liquid nearly black. It is a good idea to repeat this process until the water runs clear, he said.
With all the dirt removed, Gunderson pulled out a live crayfish and demonstrated how to remove its thin black intestine.
He grabbed the middle of its three tail fins, twisted it almost 90 degrees and pulled slowly. The black (and slimy) vein slipped out with the fin, killing the crustacean.
Next, he snapped off the tail and the larger claws and set them aside for cooking.
Just 299 crayfish left to clean.
Meanwhile, we ![[Image: 20040727__FEA_CRAWCOOKING_0728~3_200.JPG]](http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site297/20040727__FEA_CRAWCOOKING_0728~3_200.JPG)
Before you cook a crayfish you have to gut them - pull on the middle tail-fin. (Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune) set a large pot of water to boil. When it began to bubble, we added lemon and onion chunks, salt, pepper and several heaping tablespoons of Creole seasoning. Gunderson suggested more seasoning. (We were grateful for this later.)
By now, the sun had set and we were cooking with the help of flashlights and propane lanterns. About 90 minutes later the crayfish tails and claws (still in their shells) were cleaned and ready for the bubbling pot.
"Tell people to cook them until they are good and red and start to float," Gunderson instructed. "You'll know they are ready when the tails start to curl."
After about 10 minutes, Gunderson scooped out the cooked fish and warned everyone to be careful: "They are hot."
We tried, but could not wait. We were hungry and knew we were in for a treat.
kathys@sltrib.com
An easier way to go
Cooks do not have to go fishing to enjoy a crayfish dinner. It can be purchased fresh or frozen at the following locations:
l Aquarius Fish Co.: 314 W. Broadway, Salt Lake City, 801-533-5653. Sells frozen tail meat for $6 a pound for use in touffe, gumbos and other Cajun dishes. Also will take special orders for live crayfish when in season. Cost varies but can be as low as
$2 a pound.
l Ocean Beauty Seafoods Inc: 1911 S. 900 West, Salt Lake City, 801-972-3494. Frozen crayfish is sold in two forms: whole, cooked and spiced, for $3.25 a pound; and tail meat for only about $7 a pound. Cooks also can special order live crayfish. The cost ranges between $4 and $5 a pound.
l Pacific Seafood: 1416 S. 700 West, Salt Lake City, 801-908-8292. Carries whole frozen (cooked) crayfish for about $5 a pound, and frozen tail meat, $10 a pound. Special orders for live crayfish, when in season, cost about $5 a pound.
l Park City Seafood: 1792 Bonanza Drive, 435-658-1144. Frozen tails available. Special orders for live crayfish taken.
l World Wide Web: There are dozens of Web sites that sell fresh and frozen crayfish. Here are two: The Louisiana Crawfish Co., http://www.la crawfish.com; and Cajun Grocer, http://www.cajungrocer.com
l Your local grocery store: Most large grocers will special-order crayfish for customers. Just ask the employees behind the seafood counter. Prices vary.
Country Crawfish touffe
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups yellow onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
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3/4 cup green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 pound peeled crayfish tails
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 tablespoons green onions (green and white parts), chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
4 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice
Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add yellow onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Cool until butter separates, then sprinkle with flour and stir to blend until mixture thickens slightly. Add water and reduce heat to low. Stir to blend.
Season crawfish with salt and hot pepper sauce and add to pot. Add green onions and parsley and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.
Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen
Spicy Crawfish Bread
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound crawfish tail meat, coarsely chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos, drained and chopped
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (or jalapeo pepper jack cheese for a bigger kick)
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sesame seeds, optional
In a large mixer bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, thyme, oregano, basil, onion and garlic powders and peppers. Gradually add the warm water and oil to the dry ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally. Beat for 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Knead dough on a floured surface until it's smooth and elastic, about 5 ![[Image: 20040727__FEA_CRAWCOOKING_0728~1_200.JPG]](http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site297/20040727__FEA_CRAWCOOKING_0728~1_200.JPG)
When they're fully cooked, crayfish turn red. (Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune) minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil the top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Punch dough down. Place on a floured surface and roll into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Scatter crawfish lengthwise over the center third of the dough. Top with pimientos, green onions and shredded cheese. With a sharp knife, make cuts from the filling to the dough edges at 1-inch intervals along the sides of the filling. Alternating sides, fold the strips at an angle across the filling for a braided effect. Place on a greased baking sheet; cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
Makes 1 loaf.
- Robert Barker, executive chef at Bambara, Salt Lake City
Garlic Buttered Crayfish
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, snipped
1 dash red pepper
3 tablespoons wine
1 pound fresh peeled and deveined large crayfish tails
In a saucepan, melt margarine or butter. Stir in garlic, parsley and red pepper. Cook about 1 minute. Stir in wine, heat through. Set aside.
Thread crayfish onto four long or eight short metal skewers. Grill uncovered over medium hot coals, 10 to 12 minutes or until pink, brushing frequently with garlic butter sauce.
Makes 4 main dish (or 15 appetizer) servings.
- Bruce Argyle, http://www.utahdiving.com
Utah Crawdaddy Zuke
20 crayfish
6 medium ( 1/2 inch diameter) zucchini
Pepper
Salt
Soy sauce (optional)
Extract crayfish tails from shells to make about 1/4 cup of meat.
Cut zucchini into -inch thick slices. Preheat a large griddle to 350 degrees.
Apply a light coating of butter, then immediately apply zucchini slices, spreading them evenly over the grill. Fry until slightly brown, turn.
Sprinkle lightly with black pepper.
When the zucchini begin to turn slightly translucent, add crayfish tails. Stir until the tails begin to turn opaque, about 5 minutes. Salt to taste or apply a few drops of soy sauce. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.
- Bruce Argyle, http://www.utahdiving.com
Garlic Crawdad Angel Hair Pasta
50 large crayfish, tails and claws
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon coarse garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Black pepper
pound angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
Boil crayfish in lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and put briefly in cold water. Remove tails from shells and devein. Crack claws and scoop out meat.
Divide cooked pasta evenly on two plates.
Melt butter in a medium frying pan or wok. Stir in garlic powder. Add crayfish meat, stirring until all pieces are covered. Season with paprika and pepper. Immediately, pour over pasta and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
- Bruce Argyle, www.utahdiving.com
Gulf Shrimp Louie
Market Street Broiler
260 S. 1300 East, SLC
Served lunch and dinner
$15.99
For fresh seafood in Utah, it's hard to beat Gastronomy's Market Street restaurants. This light, leafy salad combines mixed greens, tomato, egg, avocado, asparagus, olives and capers topped with a generous helping of fresh Gulf shrimp (or bay shrimp, crab or halibut). The dish is usually served with Thousand Island dressing, but diners can request a creamy Caesar or a vinaigrette, too. Enjoy it on the Broiler's outdoor patio on a balmy summer evening.
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[url "http://www.sltrib.com/food/ci_2383668"]http://www.sltrib.com/food/ci_2383668[/url]
The lobster's little freshwater cousin proves good taste runs in the family
By Kathy Stephenson
The Salt Lake Tribune
Cooking Crayfish at Strawberry Reservoir. (Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune) Editor's Note: Tomorrow's Outdoors Section will feature a story on how to catch a Crawdad.
STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR - In the beginning, we had doubts.
How could a 4-inch crustacean known as a "mudbug" that dwells in the rocky, algae-covered banks of this reservoir be dinner?
Well, kids, always believe in daddy - or in this case, "crawdaddy."
Surprisingly, we swarmed around the steaming pot of freshly cooked crawdads - furiously sucking sweet, juicy meat from their red-orange shells. From the savvy businessman who recently lived in Asia, to the 10-year-old who thought she despised seafood, we all agreed: Crawdads are good eatin'!
It took the whole party several hours to put a fresh crayfish dinner on the table, The Tribune discovered during a recent trip to Strawberry Reservoir in Wasatch County.
Crayfish (the more common name for the species in Utah) are like miniature lobsters, and cooks need about 40 per person to make a meal. Using traps baited with raw chicken legs, the anglers on this trip took almost three hours to collect more than 300 crayfish.
Like their larger cousin the lobster, crayfish start out blackish, bluish or green and then turn red-orange when cooked. And there are dozens of different ways to prepare them: boiled with lemon, onions and Cajun spices; sauted in garlic and butter; broiled; grilled; and even baked in bread.
Aficionados prefer to cook crayfish whole, as they enjoy the flavorful, yellow "butter" inside the "head," which really refers to the midsection. A delicacy in many parts of the world, the cranial tidbits are still too exotic for most people.
As a result, most dishes with crayfish (also known as crawfish in other parts of the country) call for cooking only the tails and larger claws.
Maybe the most traditional recipe is crawfish touffe, "the quintessential dish of south Louisiana, perhaps even more so than jambalaya and gumbo," writes Eula Mae Dorre in her cookbook, Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen (Harvard Common Press, $22.95).
touffe, which means to "smother in its own juices," is a mixture of sauted onions, bell peppers, celery and crawfish tails, usually served over cooked white rice.
Dive right into dinner: As an avid scuba diver, Bruce Argyle has been catching and cooking crayfish for more than 15 years.
"It gives you a reason to get out of the house and do stuff with your kids," the emergency room doctor explained during a recent telephone interview from his Utah County home.
Argyle, 53, said scuba diving is an especially productive way to gather crayfish.
Divers can collect four dozen or more in about 30 minutes if they know how to keep from getting pinched.
With that kind of success rate, the father of seven - five of whom also scuba dive - had to find ways to enjoy the critters. Initially "we would come home from the lake, boil them and dunk them in barbecue sauce like French fries," he said.
Over the years, Argyle has become more adventurous, attempting dozens of different recipes. All of them are posted on the diving Web site he maintains at http://www.utahdiving.com .
His featured recipe this month is Garlic Crawdad Angel Hair Pasta, one of Argyle's favorites.
Another recipe good for late summer, he said, is Utah Crawdaddy Zuke. In this dish, thinly sliced pieces of zucchini and crayfish tails are cooked in butter and liberally seasoned with pepper.
Argyle admits that most people view crayfish as grasshoppers - something someone would eat only if stranded and faced with starvation.
He finds them sweet and mild.
"They are not fishy, and not nearly as strong as the flavor of shrimp or lobster," he said. "It's tasty stuff."
A heap of cleaning: As with other shellfish, crayfish meat can deteriorate rapidly if handled improperly.
The meat needs to be stored at 40 degrees or below and then cooked and eaten as soon as possible, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Web site (http://www.wildlife.utah .gov/fishing/crayfish.html ).
Crayfish, with their rough shells and numerous joints that catch dirt and algae, also need to be washed thoroughly.
Jim Gunderson, an employee at Fish Tech Outfitters in Holladay, served as our cleaning and culinary instructor at Strawberry Reservoir.
He filled a large bucket with ice-cold water and dropped the crayfish in whole as they were caught in our net traps.
Then he gave the water a vigorous swishing, which turned the liquid nearly black. It is a good idea to repeat this process until the water runs clear, he said.
With all the dirt removed, Gunderson pulled out a live crayfish and demonstrated how to remove its thin black intestine.
He grabbed the middle of its three tail fins, twisted it almost 90 degrees and pulled slowly. The black (and slimy) vein slipped out with the fin, killing the crustacean.
Next, he snapped off the tail and the larger claws and set them aside for cooking.
Just 299 crayfish left to clean.
Meanwhile, we
Before you cook a crayfish you have to gut them - pull on the middle tail-fin. (Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune) set a large pot of water to boil. When it began to bubble, we added lemon and onion chunks, salt, pepper and several heaping tablespoons of Creole seasoning. Gunderson suggested more seasoning. (We were grateful for this later.)By now, the sun had set and we were cooking with the help of flashlights and propane lanterns. About 90 minutes later the crayfish tails and claws (still in their shells) were cleaned and ready for the bubbling pot.
"Tell people to cook them until they are good and red and start to float," Gunderson instructed. "You'll know they are ready when the tails start to curl."
After about 10 minutes, Gunderson scooped out the cooked fish and warned everyone to be careful: "They are hot."
We tried, but could not wait. We were hungry and knew we were in for a treat.
kathys@sltrib.com
An easier way to go
Cooks do not have to go fishing to enjoy a crayfish dinner. It can be purchased fresh or frozen at the following locations:
l Aquarius Fish Co.: 314 W. Broadway, Salt Lake City, 801-533-5653. Sells frozen tail meat for $6 a pound for use in touffe, gumbos and other Cajun dishes. Also will take special orders for live crayfish when in season. Cost varies but can be as low as
$2 a pound.
l Ocean Beauty Seafoods Inc: 1911 S. 900 West, Salt Lake City, 801-972-3494. Frozen crayfish is sold in two forms: whole, cooked and spiced, for $3.25 a pound; and tail meat for only about $7 a pound. Cooks also can special order live crayfish. The cost ranges between $4 and $5 a pound.
l Pacific Seafood: 1416 S. 700 West, Salt Lake City, 801-908-8292. Carries whole frozen (cooked) crayfish for about $5 a pound, and frozen tail meat, $10 a pound. Special orders for live crayfish, when in season, cost about $5 a pound.
l Park City Seafood: 1792 Bonanza Drive, 435-658-1144. Frozen tails available. Special orders for live crayfish taken.
l World Wide Web: There are dozens of Web sites that sell fresh and frozen crayfish. Here are two: The Louisiana Crawfish Co., http://www.la crawfish.com; and Cajun Grocer, http://www.cajungrocer.com
l Your local grocery store: Most large grocers will special-order crayfish for customers. Just ask the employees behind the seafood counter. Prices vary.
Country Crawfish touffe
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups yellow onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Advertisement [url "http://media.fastclick.net/w/click.here?sid=13620&m=6&c=1"][img]http://media.fastclick.net/w/get.media?sid=13620&m=6&tp=8&d=s&c=1"width[/img][/url][url "http://media.fastclick.net/w/click.here?cid=18479&mid=41922&sid=13620&m=6&c=0"]
[/url] 3/4 cup green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 pound peeled crayfish tails
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 tablespoons green onions (green and white parts), chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
4 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice
Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add yellow onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Cool until butter separates, then sprinkle with flour and stir to blend until mixture thickens slightly. Add water and reduce heat to low. Stir to blend.
Season crawfish with salt and hot pepper sauce and add to pot. Add green onions and parsley and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.
Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen
Spicy Crawfish Bread
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound crawfish tail meat, coarsely chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos, drained and chopped
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (or jalapeo pepper jack cheese for a bigger kick)
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sesame seeds, optional
In a large mixer bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, thyme, oregano, basil, onion and garlic powders and peppers. Gradually add the warm water and oil to the dry ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally. Beat for 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Knead dough on a floured surface until it's smooth and elastic, about 5
When they're fully cooked, crayfish turn red. (Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune) minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil the top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 30 to 45 minutes. Punch dough down. Place on a floured surface and roll into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Scatter crawfish lengthwise over the center third of the dough. Top with pimientos, green onions and shredded cheese. With a sharp knife, make cuts from the filling to the dough edges at 1-inch intervals along the sides of the filling. Alternating sides, fold the strips at an angle across the filling for a braided effect. Place on a greased baking sheet; cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
Makes 1 loaf.
- Robert Barker, executive chef at Bambara, Salt Lake City
Garlic Buttered Crayfish
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, snipped
1 dash red pepper
3 tablespoons wine
1 pound fresh peeled and deveined large crayfish tails
In a saucepan, melt margarine or butter. Stir in garlic, parsley and red pepper. Cook about 1 minute. Stir in wine, heat through. Set aside.
Thread crayfish onto four long or eight short metal skewers. Grill uncovered over medium hot coals, 10 to 12 minutes or until pink, brushing frequently with garlic butter sauce.
Makes 4 main dish (or 15 appetizer) servings.
- Bruce Argyle, http://www.utahdiving.com
Utah Crawdaddy Zuke
20 crayfish
6 medium ( 1/2 inch diameter) zucchini
Pepper
Salt
Soy sauce (optional)
Extract crayfish tails from shells to make about 1/4 cup of meat.
Cut zucchini into -inch thick slices. Preheat a large griddle to 350 degrees.
Apply a light coating of butter, then immediately apply zucchini slices, spreading them evenly over the grill. Fry until slightly brown, turn.
Sprinkle lightly with black pepper.
When the zucchini begin to turn slightly translucent, add crayfish tails. Stir until the tails begin to turn opaque, about 5 minutes. Salt to taste or apply a few drops of soy sauce. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.
- Bruce Argyle, http://www.utahdiving.com
Garlic Crawdad Angel Hair Pasta
50 large crayfish, tails and claws
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon coarse garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Black pepper
pound angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
Boil crayfish in lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and put briefly in cold water. Remove tails from shells and devein. Crack claws and scoop out meat.
Divide cooked pasta evenly on two plates.
Melt butter in a medium frying pan or wok. Stir in garlic powder. Add crayfish meat, stirring until all pieces are covered. Season with paprika and pepper. Immediately, pour over pasta and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
- Bruce Argyle, www.utahdiving.com
Gulf Shrimp Louie
Market Street Broiler
260 S. 1300 East, SLC
Served lunch and dinner
$15.99
For fresh seafood in Utah, it's hard to beat Gastronomy's Market Street restaurants. This light, leafy salad combines mixed greens, tomato, egg, avocado, asparagus, olives and capers topped with a generous helping of fresh Gulf shrimp (or bay shrimp, crab or halibut). The dish is usually served with Thousand Island dressing, but diners can request a creamy Caesar or a vinaigrette, too. Enjoy it on the Broiler's outdoor patio on a balmy summer evening.
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