- Live crayfish
32
- Shallots
4
- Tarragon
2 sprigs
- Lemon
1
- Fine salt, ground pepper
QS
- Butter
200g
- Olive oil
2 tablespoons
- Peel and finely chop the shallots. Wash and thin the tarragon sprigs. Chop the leaves and set aside.
- Wash the crawfish in cold water. Castrate them:take each crayfish in your hand, back inwards, holding the claws with your fingers; with the other hand, grasp the middle lamella of the tail and turn it, pulling it gently to train the intestine.
- When all the crayfish are castrated, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Throw in the crayfish, salt and pepper. Stir well and cover the pan.
- Let the crayfish cook over high heat for 3 minutes. When they are all very red, remove the pan from the heat and put the crayfish in a terrine. Cover it to keep them warm.
- Drain the cooking oil from the pan, add the butter and melt it. Add the shallots, tarragon leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and cook this mixture over low heat for 3 or 4 minutes, taking care that the butter does not take on any color.
- Cut the crayfish in half lengthwise and arrange them in a large warm dish. Drizzle with melted tarragon butter and serve immediately.
Source:The Flight of Flavors by Bernard Loiseau.
