Crawfish and Andouille Cheesecake with Tomato Coulis
Louisiana Crawfish Promotion and Research Board

Coulis (pronounced coo-lee) is a French word for a thick sauce made from puréed and strained vegetables. The coulis is the key to this dish, so be sure to use the best Creole tomatoes you can find.

Makes 8 servings.

1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
1 1/4 teaspoons Creole seasoning, in all
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, in all
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic, in all
1 pound Louisiana crawfish tailmeat, chopped
1 pound andouille sausage, diced
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 pounds smoked Gouda, grated
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced shallots, plus additional for garnish
8 Creole tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced with their juices
3 tablespoons Creole mustard

For the crust:
Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning in a bowl. Add warm melted butter and mix just until the butter is evenly incorporated and the mixture is moist. Press the crust into the bottom of 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, both bell peppers and 1 tablespoon garlic until the onions are transparent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the crawfish and sauté lightly. Add the andouille and mix well. Remove from heat.

In an electric mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese, Gouda and heavy cream. Beat until smooth. Add the crawfish/andouille mixture. Add the eggs and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into the prepared springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in aluminum foil. Place in a baking dish with 1 inch boiling water to create a water bath and bake at 350°F until it has set, about 65 minutes. The cheesecake should be browned on top and firm to the touch.

For the coulis:
Heat remaining teaspoon olive oil in a saucepan and sauté remaining tablespoon garlic and 2 tablespoons shallots until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice; cook 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning and Creole mustard. Purée in a blender and strain. Cool to room temperature. To serve, pour about 1/4 cup of the coulis on each plate, place a slice of cheesecake in the middle and garnish with chopped shallots and Parmesan.

Pair with:
Rod's Pride Pinot Noir by Toad's Hollow to complement the cheese in this recipe.