Shellfish Entrées

Although the Gulf and lake waters are full of first-class finfish, when someone from South Louisiana thinks of seafood, he’s probably thinking of a crustacean or a mollusk. The crawfish really should be on the official seal of the state of Louisiana.

It’s hard to imagine Creole cooking without crabs, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish. They’re all used in both starring and supporting roles in all kinds of dishes. Featured in this chapter are recipes in which our best local shellfish (along with a few exotic ones) are the centerpieces.