Crawfish

Crawfish meat is sweet like lobster meat but more tender and not quite as rich. Alive, red swamp crawfish are red to nearly black; white-river crawfish are light to dark brown. All crawfish cook up brilliant red. Raw meat is grayish in color. Cooked meat should be a clean white. Softshell crawfish are those that have just molted. Crawfish fat, sometimes called head fat, is yellow and contains most of the flavor. For a classic preparation, boil in spicy Cajun or Creole seasonings or use Scandinavian dill seasonings. Jambalaya, bisque and etouffeé are traditional presentations.