Crawfish Bisque

400 stuffed heads servings Prep: 2 h Cook: 2 h 30 m Total: 1 h Advanced
Crawfish Bisque
Get fo’ or t’ree of y’all’s people together; maybe your nonc or your parraine and Granmere’ and f’sho your cher ami, especially if y’all make double or quadruple batches. Good company around the make-table makes the time go fast and the food taste better. This traditional Cajun crawfish bisque features stuffed crawfish heads in a rich, dark roux-based tomato gravy. Recipe quantity allows for freezing. If you don’t have crawfish heads, you can shape the mixture into “bites” and bake.

Ingredients

  • 10 pounds peeled crawfish
  • 4 large white onions quartered
  • 4 bell peppers quartered
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 1 bunch de-stemmed parsley
  • 4 bunches green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 3 toes garlic smashed
  • 3 dozen fresh eggs
  • 1/2 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
  • 4 cans (15 oz) plain bread crumbs - Reserve one
  • Tony Chachere's to taste
  • 2 cups Roux (more or less)
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 medium bell pepper chopped
  • 2 ribs celery finely chopped
  • 2 pods garlic finely chopped
  • 2 bay-leaf
  • Tony's Chachere or salt/pepper/cayenne to taste
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes per 1 quart of water

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. For the stuffed heads: Run crawfish tails, seasoning veggies (onions, bell peppers, celery), and herbs (parsley, green onions, basil, thyme, garlic) through a food processor. Mix all ingredients including eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and 3 cans of bread crumbs in a very large bowl, reserving the last can of bread crumbs to add as needed until mixture has the proper consistency – about 1/2 to 3/4 of the 4th can. The mixture should hold together but not be too dry. Spoon mixture into quart size baggies and nip off one corner. Use like a pastry bag to fill the clean, dry carapace crawfish shells. Bake filled shells on parchment covered cookie sheets at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned on top. Yield 400-500 stuffed shells, depending on size of the shells. Allow to cool and pack in one gallon freezer bags. Freeze.
  2. Bisque Liquor: This is somewhere between a gumbo and a thick gravy, depending on your taste. It must be thin enough to permeate the stuffing without disintegrating it, but thick enough to have a heavy “mouth feel”. This is a matter of personal preference, but the author likes his to barely coat a wooden spoon. The consistency of a thick tomato soup. Plan on one and one half cups to two cups per dozen stuffed heads.
  3. Make a gumbo base, but use only half as much water as you normally would. Start with a dark roux (about 2 cups roux to 2 quarts water), add finely chopped seasoning vegetables (the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic from ingredients list), bay leaf, Tony’s or salt, pepper, cayenne to taste, plus one can Rotel (or crushed) tomatoes per quart of water (do not use stock–water only). When it has simmered for 30 minutes or so, I like to strain out all the seasonings and tomato bits (except bay leaf), run them through a food processor and put it back in. This gives a smoother bisque gravy. Add stuffed heads straight from the freezer and simmer, uncovered, on low heat for at least two hours, bearing in mind that the longer it slow cooks, the better it gets. Bisque should cover shells. If (by evaporation) it gets thicker than you like, add a little water as needed. Allow 6-8 shells/12 ounces bisque per person or 3-4 dozen shells/half gallon per Cajun.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my stuffing mixture falling out of the heads?

A: The mixture needs enough breadcrumbs to hold together—add more from that reserved 4th can until it's firm but not dry. The mixture should be moist enough to pipe but thick enough to hold its shape when baked.

Q: Can I make bisque without stuffed heads?

A: Yes! Shape the stuffing mixture into bite-sized balls or patties and bake them at 400°F for 12-15 minutes. They work perfectly in the bisque gravy, though you'll miss the traditional presentation.

Q: How do I know when my roux is dark enough?

A: For bisque, you want a dark chocolate brown roux. It should be darker than peanut butter but not black. This takes 30-45 minutes of constant stirring over medium heat. Don't rush it or it will burn.

Q: Why is my bisque gravy too thin or too thick?

A: The roux-to-water ratio controls thickness. Start with 2 cups dark roux to 2 quarts water. If too thin, simmer uncovered longer to reduce. If too thick, add water a little at a time. The gravy should barely coat a wooden spoon.

Tips and Techniques

The stuffed heads freeze beautifully for up to 6 months—make big batches when crawfish are in season. When making the bisque gravy, resist the urge to add stock instead of water; the pure water-based gravy allows the roux and seasonings to shine without competing flavors.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish heads: shape into balls or use large pasta shells
  • dark roux: use store-bought roux or make roux in the oven
  • Rotel tomatoes: diced tomatoes plus a diced jalapeño

Equipment Needed

  • food processor
  • very large mixing bowl
  • quart-size freezer bags
  • parchment paper
  • cookie sheets
  • heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for making roux
  • wooden spoon

Historical Context

Crawfish bisque represents the pinnacle of Cajun cooking—a dish so labor-intensive it’s reserved for special celebrations and proof of a cook’s dedication. The tradition of gathering family to stuff hundreds of heads turns tedious work into treasured memories.