General Description: Crayfish look like miniature lobsters with more than 400 species found in freshwaters worldwide, 250 in North America alone. The most important farmed species is the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) from southern Louisiana, with the next most important the white-river crawfish (P. zonangulus) from northern Louisiana. Both are favorites in Creole and Cajun cooking, most often boiled in a big pot of spiced water then served on large tables covered with newspapers to crack and eat their succulent, but small, tails and suck out the tasty juices from the head. The Pacific crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) comes from California and Oregon, is larger, has a harder shell, and is meatier. The European crayfish (Astacus astacus) is found throughout Europe, but there is limited crayfish farming in Europe.

Locale and Season: Crayfish live in rivers, lakes, swamps, canals, wetlands, and irrigation ditches. About 90 percent of American crayfish come from Louisiana, where they are trapped in the wild and farmed as a rotating crop with rice. Peak season for Louisiana crayfish is March to May. Farmed crayfish are also harvested in China, Japan, Norway, and Sweden.

Characteristics: When alive, red swamp crawfish are red to nearly black; white-river crawfish are light to dark reddish-brown. Most crayfish shells turn brilliant scarlet when cooked. The raw meat is gray-white; the cooked meat is white covered by a reddish membrane and is sweet like lobster but more tender. The crayfish fat, also called head fat, contains much of the flavor and can be purchased separately. The tails have the most meat.

How to Choose: Red swamp crawfish is preferred because it turns a striking lobster-red when cooked. Labels should distinguish between farm-raised and wild crayfish and should include the state and even river of origin. Rare soft-shell crayfish have just molted and are almost entirely edible. Live crayfish should be “alive and kicking” when purchased and should spread their claws when grabbed. Frozen crayfish tails may also be purchased in 1-pound pouches. There are 15 to 20 whole crawfish per pound.

Storage: Live crayfish are quite perishable and should be cooked within 1 day. Refrigerate covered by damp newspapers. Once cooked, the yellow head fat should be removed from the meat for better shelf life. Defrost frozen tails overnight in the refrigerator.

Preparation:
1. Cook live crayfish by dropping into boiling water, usually heavily seasoned with Cajun spices and salt.
2. Cook only long enough for the crayfish to turn bright red and for the tail to begin to curl. Drain and serve immediately, or remove the tails, twist off the shells, and use the tail meat. If the tail doesn’t curl up when cooked, discard.
3. To remove the intestinal vein, pull the fan-shaped shell at the base of the tail from side to side until it breaks off, usually with the dark vein attached. Or open the back of the tail and pull out the vein.
4. Serve crayfish in jambalaya, bisque, étouffée, and pasta sauces, or cold with flavored mayonnaise.
5. For soft shell crayfish, snip off the head in back of the eyes and squeeze out the hard “stones.” The rest is edible. They are usually battered and deep-fried.

Suggested Recipe: Crawfish Étouffée (serves 6): Make a roux by cooking 4 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup flour over low heat in a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, until the flour is deep brown, stirring constantly, about 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup each chopped onion, green pepper, and celery, and 2 teaspoons chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft. Gradually pour in 2 cups fish or seafood stock, stirring until the liquid has come to a boil and is smooth. Add 2 pounds peeled, cooked crawfish tails, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup sliced scallions, and 1/4 cup sherry or brandy, and season with salt and pepper. Bring back to a boil, remove from the heat, and serve over rice.

Flavor Affinities: Bay leaf, brandy, butter, celery, cream, dill, hot sauce, lemon, marjoram, mustard, onion, scallion, shallot, sugar, tarragon, thyme, tomato, white wine.