MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Courtesy of Chef Peter Sclafani

Ruffino’s, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

·         3 large russet potatoes

·         11 tablespoons butter, softened,

divided

·         5 egg yolks

·         1⁄3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

cheese

·         1 tablespoon sea salt

·         1¾ cups all-purpose flour

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         1 tablespoon chopped shallot

·         ¼ cup canned corn, drained

·         ¼ cup peeled, seeded, and diced

tomato

·         ¼ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

·         1 cup cooked crawfish tail meat

·         ¼ cup sliced green onion

·         1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

·         1 cup Strong Crawfish Stock,

      recipe follows

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Bake potatoes

1 hour or until tender.

2. Cut potatoes in half, and scoop flesh

into a ricer. Run potatoes through ricer

into a mixing bowl. Add 7 tablespoons

softened butter and egg yolks, one at

a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add cheese, salt, and flour, stirring just

until a dough forms.

3. Working with 1 cup dough at a time,

on a clean, dry surface, roll dough into

a 1-inch-thick log. Cut log into 1-inch

segments. Repeat until all dough has

been rolled and cut.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to

a boil. Add dough pieces in batches,

and cook 2 minutes or until they float.

Transfer gnocchi to an oiled baking

sheet, and let cool.

5. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil

over medium-high heat. Add shallot, and

cook 1 minute or until lightly softened.

Add corn, tomato, and mushrooms;

cook for 1 minute. Stir in crawfish,

green onion, and thyme; cook 2 minutes

or until heated through.

6. Add gnocchi and Strong Crawfish

Stock; cook 2 minutes or until gnocchi

are hot. Remove from heat, and stir in

remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Serve

in warmed bowls.

STRONG CRAWFISH STOCK

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

·         3 pounds crawfish shells and heads

·         4 quarts water

·         1 large onion, sliced

·         2 stalks celery, sliced

·         2 carrots, sliced

·         8 cloves garlic, smashed

·         2 bay leaves

·         2 tomatoes, chopped (about

2 cups)

·         2 tablespoons tomato paste

·         1 teaspoon dried tarragon

·         1 tablespoon black peppercorns

·         1 tablespoon ground coriander

1. In a large stockpot, bring crawfish

shells and heads, 4 quarts water, onion,

celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, tomato,

tomato paste, tarragon, peppercorns,

and coriander to a boil over medium-high

heat. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook

for 1½ hours. Skim off any foam from

surface of liquid while simmering.

2. Pour stock through a wire-mesh

strainer, discarding solids. Return liquid

to pot, and bring to a low boil. Cook 1

hour or until liquid is reduced by half.