So, I love shrimp and crawfish…like LOVE LOVE LOVE. My husband is severely allergic to shellfish, and let me tell you, that this was a serious area of consideration for our relationship. I’m from Texas and Louisiana, and all of the southern in me requires that I eat shrimp and crab on a regular basis. So now my husband and I have an agreement. No shellfish is allowed in the house, I am not allowed to cook it or eat it at home…but when I go out, I can eat as much shellfish as I can stand. AND when my husband is not at home, I can use the opportunity to cook a shellfish feast!

So for descriptions sake, dauphine is just a fancy word for where cream meets crawfish. This dish is for a delicious cream sauce filled with sautéed veggies, and then made even better with shrimp and crawfish. Its glorious. This recipe was based on a recipe in the ‘Texas on the Table’ cookbook, but I made a few alterations. I added shrimp, and then a few other changes here and there. Also, the recipe originally called to be served with pasta, but I prefer the sauce with rice. That way the rice can soak up all the creamy yummy goodness. its delicious. Please enjoy. I made it yesterday, and have already had three bowls. When I ate it initially I ate it over pasta and fresh spinach, so that why there are so many delicious colors in the picture.

Crawfish and Shrimp Dauphine

• 1/2 c butter
• 2 c bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tbsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 white wine
• 2 c seafood stock
• 2 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 c peeled crawfish, if previously frozen add once they are fully defrosted
• 1 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp
• Beurre manie, made from 1 stick of butter and 1/2 c cream

1. Melt 1/2 c butter in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms, onion, pepper, garlic and celery. Continue to cook until the butter is almost fully absorbed by the vegetables, and the vegetables have wilted and browned. These should no longer be any liquid coming from the mushrooms.
2. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and thyme.
3. Pour the wine and seafood stock into the pot to deglaze. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Once the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
4. Temper the whipping cream before adding it to the Dutch oven. Pour a spoonful of the hot broth into the whipping cream, and stir to fully incorporate. Continue to do this for about 5 more spoonfuls. This will slowly increase the temperature of the whipping cream, and preventing the cream from prematurely boiling and the curdling. Once the cream is warm, add it to the pot with the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a slight boil, and reduce heat.
5. Add the crawfish and shrimp to the cream mixture.
6. Make the beurre manie. In a small bowl, add 1/2 c flour to 1/2 c of melted butter, and stir until the flour has been fully absorbed by the butter.
7. Once the shrimp is almost cooked, slowly add the beurre manie, until the sauce is the thickness that you like. I prefer a slightly thicker cream sauce, so a very thick soup consistency.
8. Once the cream is the consistency you want, serve over rice or pasta.