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1
Rinse crayfish; place in large pot of boiling water.
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2
Cook for one minute.
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3
Remove crayfish from water.
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4
Cool.
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5
Remove tail meat from crayfish: break off the ridged tail, snap in half lengthwise, lift out meat in one piece.
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6
Place tail shells in large pot.
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7
Remove black vein if it remains.
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8
Carefully remove the yellow fat from tail and body so the mud sack doesn't burst; add to pot.
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9
Snap off claws and smaller legs; place in pot.
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10
Clean out the body cavity, called the head; discard eyes.
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11
Rinse shells; place in pot.
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12
Add 2 cups crayfish fat to pot with 3 quarts water; simmer stock until reduced to 2 1/2 quarts, about 30 minutes.
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13
Chop half of the onions, green peppers and celery finely.
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14
Melt butter in large skillet; saute finely chopped vegetables for 10 minutes, until very soft.
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15
Add 1/2 cup crayfish fat; cook 2 or 3 minutes more.
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16
Chop 1 pound of crayfish tails very fine.
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17
Add to skillet; simmer 3 minutes.
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18
Mix 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 each teaspoon white and black pepper, salt and 5 or 6 dashes hot pepper sauce into crayfish mixture.
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19
Simmer 3 minutes.
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20
If mixture is not thick enough for stuffing, add bread crumbs.
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21
Add 2 tablespoons each parsley and green onion; cool and use to fill crayfish heads.
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22
Lightly dredge the opening of the stuffed heads in flour.
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23
Oil cookie sheet; bake heads at 350 degrees until brown, about 20 minutes.
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24
Refrigerate, if not using immediately.
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25
Make roux: combine oil and flour in heavy skillet; cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally.
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26
Roux will begin to color slowly, taking about 45 minutes to reach desired nut-brown color.
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27
Toward end of cooking, watch roux carefully, making sure it does not burn.
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28
Roux may be made ahead and reheated.
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29
To assemble dish, dice remaining onion, green pepper and celery; add to boiling stock.
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30
Return to boil.
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31
Pour a little of the stock at a time into hot roux, stirring.
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32
Return roux mixture to stockpot, bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes.
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33
Five minutes after adding roux, stir in remaining cayenne, white and black pepper, salt to taste and hot pepper sauce.
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34
To serve, put stuffed heads in bisque and cook for eight minutes; add remaining 1 1/4 pounds of tails (this includes approximately 1/2 pound removed from live crayfish); cook another two minutes.
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35
Adjust seasoning.
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36
Stir in remaining green onion and parsley.
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37
Serve over rice in individual bowls.
