Title: Crawfish and Corn Soup
Categories: Soup Crawfish
Yield: 8 Servings

1	lb	Crawfish tails - peeled
2	c	Corn - cut from the cob, reserving about 4 cobs
1	cn	Corn - cream-style
1	c	Onions - finely chopped
2		Ribs celery - finely chopped
1		Med. bell pepper - finely chopped
1	bn	Green onions - finely chopped (use about 2 or 3"
		Of the fresh green part)
4	tb	Parsley - minced
3		Clove garlic - minced (3 or 4 cloves, depending on size)
6	tb	Butter
6	tb	Flour
1	tb	Worcestershire sauce
1	lb	Tomatoes - canned, drained (reserve liquid)
1		Bay leaf - or 2
1	ts	Thyme
		Salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste
		STOCK:
		Shells and claws for peeled crawish, NOT the heads
4	tb	Butter
1/4	c	Brandy - or Cognac
1	c	White wine
		Water
1		Carrot - cut into large pieces
1		Rib celery - cut into large pieces
3		Green onions - cut into large pieces
3		Sprig parsley - whole
2		Clove garlic
1		Bay leaf
1	pn	Thyme

Number of Servings: 8

Make stock first. Ten pounds of boiled crawfish make one pound of meat. Peel crawfish, reserving shells and claws. Rinse shells and let drain. Melt butter in a large pot; add shells and fry until sizzling and hot, turning them often. When shells are hot enough, heat a small pot, pour in brandy and ignite. Remove shells from fire, pour in brandy, tossing and turning until the flame dies down.

Add wine and water to cover shells. Add onion, celery, green onions, parsley, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Let it all simmer for an hour. Strain carefully and reserve.

In another pot, melt butter, add flour and let cook on low fire until medium brown. Add chopped vegetables and let cook on a low fire until wilted, stirring often. Chop tomatoes and add to pot with reserved liquid. Let cook a few minutes.

Add stock -- just enough to make a soupy consistency -- then add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, crawfish, corn and about four of the cobs (for added flavor). Let simmer an hour. Taste for salt, pepper and Tabasco. If using boiled crawfish, it is usually peppery enough.

Remove the cobs and serve.

If the soup is too thick, add more stock or water. If it's too thin, cook a little more flour and add to thicken it.

Serves 8.

NOTE: If you prefer to buy crawfish tails already picked, buy a couple of pounds of boiled crawfish and pick them so as to have the shells to make your stock. Shrimp may be substituted.

Grand Prize Winner by Marguerite Sigur, Times-Picayune Cooking Contest, 1984.

Posted by Michelle Bass. Courtesy of Fred Peters.

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