Cajun and Creole Recipes
Cajun Crawfish Bread
Yield: One loaf spicy crawfish bread
Ingredients
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated 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 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)
- 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 jalapeño pepper jack cheese if you like it spicier)
- 1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 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 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 the dough down. Place on a floured surface and roll into a 10 x 14 inch rectangle. Scatter the 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 one-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 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
- Bake until done and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.