Biscuits And Crawfish Gravy

3.4 from 5 ratings

A Southern staple that will bring your taste buds straight to the streets of New Orleans, this recipe for biscuits and crawfish gravy is easy to make from home. If you can’t find crawfish, substitute a mixture of lobster and shrimp. Recipe courtesy of David Guas, chef/owner, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery – Arlington, Va./Washington, D.C.

Servings

servings

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, such as white lily (not self-rising)
2 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into small bits, plus 2 tablespoons, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup cooking oil, such as grapeseed or canola oil/olive oil blend
1 cup finely diced sweet onions
1/3 cup finely diced green bell peppers
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound crawfish tail meat, frozen or fresh
2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup flour
4 cup whole milk
3 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Place 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the stick of butter and process for 10 one-second pulses (pieces shouldn’t be larger than a small pea). Transfer to a large bowl and begin adding ¾-cup of the buttermilk, incorporating into the dry ingredients by moving hands in circular motions. Add just enough buttermilk to form a dough.
Dust work surface with the remaining flour and place the dough on top. Roll the dough to a 1-inch thickness. Using a 2¼-inch round biscuit cutter, punch out as many biscuits as you can and place them on parchment paper. Gently bring the dough scraps together into a block and press to a 1-inch thickness. Punch out a few more biscuits, place them on the baking sheet, and discard scraps.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining buttermilk and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter.
Add the oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook for 5 minutes, add the garlic and continue to cook for 5 minutes, then add the crawfish. Sauté the crawfish for 5 minutes, add the Worcestershire, salt, cayenne, and black pepper, and then stir in the flour. Allow the flour to cook out for 5 minutes, then add the milk, one cup at a time, stirring out any lumps of flour between additions. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for salt, and add more if needed.
Split a biscuit in half, place in a bowl, and, using a 2-ounce ladle, portion some gravy over the top of the biscuit. Finish with scallions.