Crawfish Monica, the most popular dish at the New Orleans Jazz Festival-succulent crawfish tails cooked in rich and spicy cream sauce, then tossed with pasta. It’s great with Rotini or Fusilli pasta but also goes well with Fettuccine or Farfalle. This is Sweet Daddy D’s version of the dish created in the early-1980’s which became a New Orleans classic in a short period of time.
Crawfish Monica
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Crawfish Monica is succulent crawfish tails cooked in spices and a rich cream sauce then tossed with pasta. This is the most popular dish at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Great with Rotini or Fusilli pasta but also goes well with Fettuccine or Farfalle. This dish was created in the early-1980's and has become a New Orleans classic in a short period of time. Try it with some warm and crispy french bread and a nice green salad.
Crawfish Monica is succulent crawfish tails cooked in spices and a rich cream sauce then tossed with pasta. This is the most popular dish at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Great with Rotini or Fusilli pasta but also goes well with Fettuccine or Farfalle. This dish was created in the early-1980's and has become a New Orleans classic in a short period of time. Try it with some warm and crispy french bread and a nice green salad.
Cook the pasta to al denté according to the package direction.
Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. Drain but do not rinse, return the pasta to the pot, add the cooking liquid and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix well. Set aside, covered to keep warm.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium high heat until frothy.
Add the yellow onions and saute until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and continue to saute until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Add the creole seasoning and cayenne (if using) and stir well. Saute another two or three minutes.
Add the wine, bring to a heavy simmer and allow the wine to evaporate almost completely.
Add the cream and lemon juice, stirring and shaking the pan until well blended.
Simmer on low for a few minutes until it begins to slightly thicken.
Add the crawfish tails a few at a time and stir well to blend completely.
Allow the crawfish tails to only warm through, then add the green onions and parsley.
Mix well and simmer about two minutes.
Add in the cooked pasta a little at a time. Stir completely until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the crawfish are distributed throughout. You may not use all the pasta because you want it to be creamy with a good coating of sauce over all the pasta.
Stir in about 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well.
Remove from the heat. When serving, sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top.
Recipe Notes
Great with Rotini or Fusilli pasta but also goes well with Fettuccine or Farfalle.
Louisiana Crawfish tails are the very best because they contain some sweet crawfish "fat" which adds a great depth of flavor. You can usually find them frozen at the seafood market or better grocery stores or online at Amazon. If you have to use imported crawfish tails, I strongly suggest rinsing them before using. Often the imported crawfish will be slightly bitter unless rinsed.
This cheesy, creamy Cajun staple is the ultimate side to go along with steak, fish, seafood platter...just about anything! Once you try Cajun Twice Baked Potatoes, its the only way you'll want to eat a baked potato...don't say I didn't warn you!
This cheesy, creamy Cajun staple is the ultimate side to go along with steak, fish, seafood platter...just about anything! Once you try Cajun Twice Baked Potatoes, its the only way you'll want to eat a baked potato...don't say I didn't warn you!
Bake potatoes in an oven at 400 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until softened. (See Notes)
Remove from the oven and allow the potatoes to cool.
Slice the tops off the potatoes lengthwise and scoop out the potato, leaving a bowl or boat. See Notes.
Place all the scooped-out potato in a bowl. Using a potato masher, smash the potatoes.
Add the butter and mix into the potatoes. Warm the milk in the microwave and add it to the potatoes a little at a time (may not use the whole cup), blending and stirring until you have slightly thick, lumpy “mashed potatoes”. (see Notes)
Add creole seasoning and sour cream and mix well. (see Notes)
Add cayenne pepper (if using), kosher salt, white pepper and garlic powder, green onions and cheese and mix well until thoroughly blended.
Spoon the mixture back into hollowed out potato shells and cover with cheese. Place a couple of small tabs of butter on top of each potato.
Place in an oven proof baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
Recipe Notes
Preparing the potatoes in the oven will prepare the potato better for scooping out than using the microwave. If you decide to make a casserole or use the aluminum tins, the microwave is fine to use.
To bake the potatoes, wash each potato under running cold water and brush gently with a soft brush. Poke about 6 holes into the potato using a fork, them wrap each potato in aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until you the potato is softened.
You can slice the top off of the potato or you can slice it in half lengthwise. Slicing the top off will give you one large stuffed potato, slicing it in half will give you two smaller stuffed potatoes.
Add the milk, sour cream, green onions and cheese a little at a time. The quantity you will use of each will depend on the quantity of smashed potato you end up with and your personal preference.
Grating the cheese yourself provides the best results, but pre-grated cheese works well also.
This can be made into a casserole or stuffed into the small aluminum tins if you don’t want to stuff the potatoes.
Nutrition Facts
Cajun Twice Baked Potatoes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 788Calories from Fat 531
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g91%
Saturated Fat 37g185%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 185mg62%
Sodium 1112mg46%
Potassium 876mg25%
Total Carbohydrates 36g12%
Dietary Fiber 4g16%
Sugars 7g
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A53%
Vitamin C66%
Calcium96%
Iron12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Meyer lemons are a cross between regular lemons and mandarin oranges. This combination creates a very special fruit…still has that distinct lemony flavor but with a background of sweetness from the orange. Suited for the Louisiana climate, Meyer lemons are juicy and add a distinct but understated flavor to any dish. Pork tenderloin’s mild flavor is perfectly suited for this delicious Meyer lemon sauce flavored with butter, wine, garlic and fresh rosemary.
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Meyer Lemon Sauce
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If you like lemon flavor, you are in for a treat. This sauce, made with Meyer Lemons, has a citrus profile with a subtle sweetness in the background. Flavored with butter, garlic, white wine and fresh rosemary, it's great on pork, chicken, fish or just about anything you can think about. This recipe marinates a pork tenderloin with a smoky garlicky citrus-ey spice rub. When you add the sauce to the roasted tenderloin, watch out!
If you like lemon flavor, you are in for a treat. This sauce, made with Meyer Lemons, has a citrus profile with a subtle sweetness in the background. Flavored with butter, garlic, white wine and fresh rosemary, it's great on pork, chicken, fish or just about anything you can think about. This recipe marinates a pork tenderloin with a smoky garlicky citrus-ey spice rub. When you add the sauce to the roasted tenderloin, watch out!
Mix all ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl and set aside.
Trim any loose parts off tenderloin and remove the silver skin.
Rub olive oil all over the tenderloins then apply the rub liberally on all sides. Allow the rubbed tenderloins to sit for 30 minutes.
Align both halves of the tenderloin so the thin end of one is matched with the thick end of the other.
Lay Meyer lemon slices on top of the paired tenderloin and tie them together with the butcher twine-make sure the lemon slices are under the twine.
Brush some olive oil on the lemon slices.
In a heavy bottom cast iron skillet, sear the tied pork tenderloin over medium high heat on all sides, starting with the lemon slices first.
Once seared, add about ½ cup of dry white wine to the pan then transfer the cast iron pan into the 425 degree oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reads about 145-150 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
Remove from the oven and place the pork tenderloin on a cutting board to rest. Loosely tent aluminum foil over it and allow the pork to rest while you prepare the sauce.
If necessary, deglaze the cast iron pan with some water to remove any burned morsels on the bottom and wipe out with a paper towel.
Using the same cast iron skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over a medium heat, then add the shallots and crushed garlic.
Saute until the shallots are starting to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the flour and stir or whisk together until a light roux develops.
Add the lemon zest, lemon slices and some kosher salt and pepper. Let the lemon slices have direct contact with the bottom of the pan so they get a slight sear for a couple of minutes.
Add in the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, wine, stock and fresh rosemary and increase the heat until starting to simmer.
Stir well and bring to a simmer. Add the 2 remaining tablespoons of butter and shake the pan while that melts-simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes while the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat.
Snip off the butcher twine and slice the pork tenderloin on the bias. Remove the lemon peels and rosemary from the sauce and spoon over the sliced pork.
Recipe Notes
If you don't have Meyer lemons you can substitute 3 tablespoons of lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon of mandarin orange juice (or any other sweet orange) for the Meyer Lemon juice. The zest and slices of regular lemon or oranges will work fine.
When mixing the rub, try to use no-salt lemon-pepper mix. If you can't find that, cut back or eliminate the extra salt.
I do not recommend purchasing the pre-marinated pork tenderloins that are available in the meat department. First, they are generally high in sodium content and secondly, you want to control the flavor profile of your dish.
Nutrition Facts
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Meyer Lemon Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 362Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 118mg39%
Sodium 630mg26%
Potassium 726mg21%
Total Carbohydrates 10g3%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Sugars 1g
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A46%
Vitamin C17%
Calcium6%
Iron18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
