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| What You Need: |
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6 to 8 quarts water
2 lemons cut in half crosswise
4 medium-sized onions, with skins intact
2 celery stalks, including the leaves, cut into 3-inch lengths
1 dried hot red chili
4 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised with the flat of a cleaver or large heavy knife
1 cup shellfish boil, or substitute 1 cup commercial shrimp spice or crab boil
2 tablespoons salt
20 pounds live crawfish
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Combine the water, lemons, onions, celery, chili, garlic, shellfish boil and salt in a 10- to 12-quart enameled pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.
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2. Meanwhile, soak the live crawfish in a sinkful of cold water for at least 10 minutes, then wash them thoroughly - a small batch at a time - in a colander set under cold running water.
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3. With tongs, drop about 5 pounds of the live crawfish into the pot and boil briskly, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Transfer the boiled crawfish to a heated platter, then drop about 5 more pounds of live crawfish into the stock remaining in the pot and boil them for 5 minutes.
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4. Repeat the entire procedure two more times and, when all of the crawfish have been boiled, serve them at once in their shells. Because they are so highly spiced, they are eaten without any accompaniment except cold beer.
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NOTE:
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In Louisiana, crabs and shrimp are boiled and served in the same fashion as crawfish. Substitute three dozen live blue crabs or 4 pounds of large shrimp in their shells for the crawfish, and boil them in one batch. Boil the crabs for 10 to 15 minutes, the shrimp 5 minutes.
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