All of this talk about cookbooks and such sent me to the kitchen, where I have a shelf of the things....I picked up "Cajun Men Cook" by the Beaver Club of Lafayette, LA. (They're an off-shoot of the Lions Club of Lafayette who thought the original Lions weren't working hard enough to raise money).

Anyway - the thing fell open to one of my favorite offerings, and since it's mudbug season, I offer it to all of you (BTW, because of Katrina, crawfish production is down, so get your orders in early or buy from the local bait shop):

CRAWBEEF (Coonass Surf n' Turf):
Printer version of this recipe

4 fair size rib-eyes or other favorite beef steak
1 lb mudbugs (crawfish) more or less (get extra fat if available)
1/2 cup oil
3 tbsps flour
1/2 block sweet butter
1 medioum onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 cups water

Marinate steaks overnight in a covered dish in creole seasoning, pepper and Lea & Perrins - whatever.

Saute onion in butter till soft, then add green onions and set aside. Add oil and heat till hot, add flour and stir (we're making a roux here for the neophyte). Stir CONSTANTLY until dark chocolate color, add onions and mix well - this should stop the roux from cooking but remove/reduce heat to be safe, as this roux is dangerously close to self-destruction.

Add water, stir, and add heat to medium until it's mixed well and in a consistent texture. Heat for about 1/2 to 1 hour or so, reduce heat to low and add crawfish (and extra fat if you got it) and cook another 20-25 minutes.

Grill steaks (one cigarette to a side, on medium coals - if you don't smoke anymore, get somebody that still does to stand there and talk to you).

Serve steak topped with crawfish and sauce.

- level best - Andrew H. Auld

From: Andrew H. Auld
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2006
To: Anglican@stsams.org
Subject: Recipe - (was: Censure Pesident Bush)