FOOD NEWS
What Is Crawfish Butter, The So-Called 'Foie Gras Of The Sea'?
By Elaina Friedman
If you didn’t know, foie gras is a luxury food item made by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers grow extraordinarily large. The practice has faced prohibition and backlash in recent years, but if you’re a recovering foie gras eater, there’s an under-appreciated part of the humble crawfish that will provide you with a similarly decadent taste.
The legs are usually the part of a crawfish people feast on, but some people say the best part is the hepatopancreas organ in its noggin. Also known as “crawfish butter,” it has a rich butter taste that is similar to foie gras, and it’s meant to be sucked from the head of a crawfish by pinching its head and sipping it slowly.
This “crawfish butter” is not to be confused with softened butter that's seasoned with crawfish and spices, which you can make by combining sautéed crawfish with garlic, shallots, wine, basil, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning in a food processor with softened butter. You can even add the butter to the hepatopancreas for a meta experience!