Crawfish Bread is a perennial Jazz Fest favorite. Local food critic Tom Fitzmorris once called it “an essential Jazz Fest dish that should not be missed.” Invented by Panaroma Foods, a small hometown bakery in Marksville, Louisiana in Avoyelles Parish, this cheesy, crawfish goodness has been replicated by many over the years, including Emeril Lagasse. His Jazz Fest Crawfish Bread Recipe is a great way to bring a little bit of Jazz Fest home, wherever you are.
Emeril’s Jazz Fest Crawfish Bread Recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence
- 1 pound cooked Louisiana crawfish tails (with any fat)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Creole mustard, or other whole grain spicy mustard
- 4 ounces grated Provolone or mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces grated white Cheddar cheese
- Two 15-inch loaves of soft French bread
Directions
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet and, when hot, add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon of the Essence and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the crawfish tails, salt, and remaining Essence and cook, stirring, until the crawfish have warmed through and released any liquid and the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in the green onions and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
When the crawfish have cooled, stir in the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, and the cheeses until well-combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Cut the two loaves of bread nearly in half lengthwise and divide the crawfish filling evenly among the bottom portion of the two loaves. Fold the top portion of bread back over the stuffing and then wrap each loaf tightly in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes. Slice into the desired size portions and serve hot.
