Cajun and Creole Recipes
Crawfish Tamales with Honey-Guajillo Sauce
Ingredients
Tamale Filling
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound crawfish tail meat, fresh or frozen
- 4 shakes hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10 to 12 dried corn husks
Tamale Dough
- 5 cups Instant masa yellow corn
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 4 cups warm chicken stock (you may substitute water)
Instructions
Tamale Filling
- In a medium sauté pan, heat oil and butter together over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the pan and stir until translucent.
- Add crawfish meat, and hot sauce; season with salt and cayenne pepper, then add water. Continue to cook on medium heat for another two minutes.
- Sprinkle in flour and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or until flour flavor cooks out. Reserve hot filling in a bowl and place in refrigerator to cool.
Tamale Dough
- Place all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add warm chicken stock or water slowly using a wooden spoon until the mixture is soft and lump free.
Assembly
- Soak cornhusks in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are pliable, and pat dry with a towel. Remove from water and reserve. Take one and peel thin strips pulling down with the grain. Reserve strips. Press half a cup of tamale mix on the open cornhusk and, using your fingers dipped in warm water, press out to 3 x 4 inch rectangles. Scoop about two to three tablespoons of the crawfish filling into the center and roll each side of the tamale up around the crawfish filling to enclose it.
- Roll by tucking the bottom husk in and rolling until tight. Using the reserved strips, tie off the top open part of the husk. Place the tamales in a steamer, cover and cook for 35 to 45 minutes. When the tamales are cooked, remove them from the steamer. Using a pair of scissors cut the tamales open and ladle 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of Honey-Guajillo Sauce per tamale.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from:
National Honey Board
Recipe courtesy of Chef David Guas, Chef/Owner, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery – Arlington, VA, Washington, DC, for the National Honey Board.