Jun 4, 2013

Crawfish to Rice {Crawfish Omelets}

Crawfish season is winding down.  When the temps increase crawfish shells harden, making them difficult to peel.

Local farmers have been switching their ponds over to rice production.

I started a new job that puts me driving through the Cajun countryside just at daybreak.


I weave through a patchwork of crawfish ponds and newly germinated rice fields.  The roads are threads, tying together swatches reflecting the beginnings of sunrise and scraps of soft, green shoots damp with morning dew.


Wrapping up crawfish season is always a letdown for me.  Not only because abundance halts.  It marks the start of energy zapping heat.  It marks the end of the watery landscape I prefer, having grown up surrounded by water.

Some people have evidence of crawfish for a good part of the year, though.

The picture above is of a crawfish "chimney," often seen speckling people's lawns.

Crawfish burrow in the ground, bringing up the mud from the hole they create for themselves.  Laying it carefully in brick-like stacks to form the chimney.  While homeowners don't love these odd structures, it is a fascinating process.  Read about it HERE @ America's Wetland Resource Center: A Campaign to Save Coastal Louisiana.


 

Crawfish Omelets are a popular use for leftover crawfish.  I recently whipped up an omelet filling of crawfish, onion, peppers, and mushrooms.

The filling would also be good tossed with pasta or used in quesadillas.

While I made the filling, you can be certain I was not the one forming the omelets.  I have no patience for that.
Crawfish Omelette from Ms. enPlace


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Crawfish Omelets

for the filling:
2 tsp olive oil, divided
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, halved lengthwise then sliced into half rings
1 small bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 lb cooked crawfish tails (leftovers are great)
1 Tbsp chopped garlic chives
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and sear them, turning over to brown on both sides.  Remove mushrooms to a mixing bowl.

Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and heat.  Add the onions and bell pepper.  Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often, over medium heat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the onion mixture, along with the crawfish and garlic chives, in the bowl with the mushrooms.  Mix all the ingredients and taste for seasoning.  When the filling cools a bit, fold in the cheese.

for the eggs:
butter
8 eggs for four 2 egg omelets OR 12 eggs for four 3 egg omelets
about 4 TBSP heavy whipping cream
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat an oven safe nonstick skillet on low.  Add a small pat of butter.  Crack 2 or 3 eggs into a bowl.  Add about 1 TBSP cream, season with salt and pepper, and whisk until foamy.  When butter has melted, pour in the eggs and cook, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring until egg starts to set.

Place pan in the oven for 30 seconds to 2 minutes until top of eggs are set.  Remove from oven.  Add 1/4 of the filling on top of the eggs.  Shimmy out onto a plate and fold.  Repeat with more omelets and filling.


This post was featured at:

Featured at All My Bloggy Friends

Linking with:

Jam Hands  Hearth and Soul blog hop at Premeditated Leftovers Feeding Big
Love Bakes Good Cakes
nap-time creations
White Lights on Wednesdays
Miz Helen’s Country Cottage Photobucket
BWS tips button Freedom Fridays
Memories by the Mile
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MyMeatlessMondays

13 comments:

  1. This looks so good and I love learning about crawfish. We're just on the Texas end of the Gulf Coast and our grocer never has LA crawfish. We get the frozen variety from Thailand or Taiwan...can't remember, just know it chaps my behind. I do make requests from time to time and sometimes the store follows thru. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I would love that trip with the scenery! I had no idea that crawfish burrow?! Do they hibernate? Your omelet sound delicious, Michelle!

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    1. Thanks so much for sharing at All my Bloggy Friends, Michelle - I can't wait to see what you share this week!

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  3. I love Louisiana and how beautiful it is - I get to see it often because I don't live far away. Crawfish are a delight I've loved my entire life and this omelet looks fantastic!

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  4. Oh, how I'd love to have that crawfish omelet right now! Looks fab! Great pics, too, but I don't know about driving at daybreak. :) At least there isn't too much traffic out there then. lol

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  5. I really need to stop reading your blog when I am hungry. This looks soooooo good. And the Caramelized Garlic Tart you posted a little bit ago also looks amazing.

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  6. Gosh, how beautiful that must be driving to work every morning. Your omelette looks beautiful too. That crawfish filling sounds wonderful. We don't actually get crawfish in New Zealand, but I'm guessing shrimp would make a passable substitute.

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  7. As soon as I saw crawfish, I knew it would be one of your wonderful recipes! What a lovely drive you have to work, you make it sound so great!

    I remember living in Oklahoma and finding crawfish in the creek by our house!

    Thanks for linking up at the In and Out of the Kitchen party.

    Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.com

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  8. Yum! They look so good! I love crawfish :) thanks for sharing the recipe. I found you via the Hearth & Soul Hop.

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  9. I love Crawfish, but I had no idea they burrowed in the ground like that! What an interesting post, and what beautiful scenery. Love the Crawfish Omelets - they've got my mouth watering! Sharing this post on my FB page and pinning it too :)

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  10. Hi Michelle,
    Those are really nice looking tails in your omelet. We would just love this omelet and can't wait to try it. Hope you have a wonderful week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  11. Good bye crawfish... hello heat. I don't do well in the heat... feel for you. Nice drive for the new job though. Thanks for sharing your omelet with us on foodie friday.

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  12. CRAWFISH OMELET?! IT makes perfect sense to me; why haven't I thought of that?! Looks divine! Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers!

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Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your comments.