Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent for many Christians around the world. During Lent we are supposed to abstain from meat (mammals and fowl) on Fridays as a sacrifice during this solemn time. However, we are allowed to eat seafood. Lucky for me, Lent and the beginning of crawfish season are nearly one and the same.
Crawfish are also know as crayfish, crawdads and depending on where you are, mud bugs. They look like tiny little lobsters. Typically crawfish are boiled with corn on the cob, potatoes, sausage, onion, garlic and (usually spicy) seasoning. Because crawfish are tiny little things, a full serving is anywhere from three to five pounds (per person) plus whatever corn, potatoes or sausage you get. During my time in New Orleans, I went to my fair share of crawfish boils. A “crawfish boil” is an excuse to get all your peoples together. Boil a ton of crawfish and sides and when it’s cooked throw it all on a table and eat and talk and drink beer. It’s a nice way to bring a community together.
A lesson in how to eat a boiled crawfish.
There are other ways to prepare crawfish, but they are a little more time consuming as it involves cooking the crawfish and then peeling the meat from the shell before you cook with it. A Louisiana favorite, particularly at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, is Crawfish Monica. I just bought four pounds of crawfish that I’m going to make crawfish etouffee with on Friday.
Though you can probably find crawfish year round, they are a seasonal food. The best crawfish are usually harvested between March and June, depending on the previous winter’s conditions. I’ve had some this year already that were very good. The Gulf of Mexico produces most of the crawfish for the United States, but crawfish can also be raised and harvested on farms. A mild winter and heavy rains seem to have provided good conditions for this year’s crawfish season.
Pro-tip: If you are eating boiled crawfish and come across a straight one, avoid it. This means that it was dead before it was boiled and probably not good.
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