Crayfish, sautéed in a tequila-powered
sauce and tossed with cream, are served here on a nest of delicate
noodles.
Crawfish
Pasta with Chile Pepper Sauce
- 12 dried tomatoes
1 jalapeño, sliced (see note)
12 ounces angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup tequila
1 pound peeled crayfish
1/2 cup heavy cream
- Soak dried tomatoes and
jalapeño in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes; drain
and chop tomatoes and jalapeño; set aside.
- Prepare noodles according
to package directions; drain and keep warm.
- Heat olive oil in a large,
heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic for
about 1 minute; add tomatoes and jalapeño and sauté
3 to 5 minutes. Add tequila and cook until liquid is reduced
by one-third, about 5 minutes. Add crayfish and cook until opaque
and red, about 5 minutes. Add cream to the skillet and cook until
heated through, but do not boil. Serve over cooked angel hair.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: Working with jalapeños
or other chiles: Capsacian
is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation
associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber
gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves,
available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose
not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part
of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling
the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy
water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that
may come in contact with the peppers.
