Unicorn (Unicorn@Indenial.com)
Thu, 15 Apr 1999 13:59:23 -0400
Reader Anna Kita was the first of many to send me this food funny.
It's a bit longer than I like, but well worth the space.
One day a cat dies of natural causes and goes to heaven. Greeting him
the Lord says, "You've lived a good life. If there is any way I can
make your stay in Heaven more comfortable, please let Me know." The
cat thinks for a minute and says "Well, all my life I lived with a
poor family and had to sleep on a hard wooden floor..." The Lord
stops the cat and says "Say no more!" Just then a wonderful fluffy
pillow appears and the cat contentedly wanders off to find a good
place to nap.
A few days later six mice killed in a tragic farming accident go to
heaven. The Lord is there to greet them with the same offer. The
mice answer: "All of our lives we've been chased. We've had to run
from cats, from tractors, even from that farmer's wife with her broom.
We're tired of running..." "Say no more!" The Lord replies. In a
flash, each mouse is fitted with a beautiful new pair of roller
skates, and they skate happily off to explore the Heavenly landscape.
About a week later The Lord stops by to see the cat and finds him
snoozing away. He gently wakes the cat and asks, "How are things
since you got here?" The cat stretches, yawns, and replies "Oh, it is
wonderful here. I get a lot of great sleep on this pillow, and those
Meals On Wheels you've been sending are the BEST!!!"
Although they are farmed commercially now, crawfish are still
difficult to obtain over most of the US, and presumably the rest of
the world as well. You can substitute fresh shrimp for the crawfish
with very good results. This dish is traditionally served with white
rice, but on my recent expedition to Cajun country I ran across
several restaurants that served it with fettuccine.
Crawfish Etouffee
8 Tbs (120 ml, 100 g) butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion
1 cup (250 ml) chopped green bell pepper
1 cup (250 ml) chopped celery
3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 lbs (1 Kg) shelled crawfish tails or peeled shrimp
3 Tbs (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped scallion (spring
onion) green part only
Cooked rice or fettuccine
Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat and stir in the
flour. Cook over moderate heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring
frequently, until the mixture is a dark reddish brown. Add the
vegetables, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook uncovered an
additional 20 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the crawfish tails or
shrimp, lemon juice, and parsley, and continue to cook uncovered for 5
minutes, stirring frequently. Garnish with the chopped scallion and
serve with cooked rice or fettuccine. Serves 6 to 8.
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