Festival Food at Home

When Jazzfest was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, Beth Arroyo Udderback, General Manager of WWOZ radio station, recalled her parents “Festing in Place” from their garage when her mother became unable to visit the festival in person. The concept proved brilliant, and the radio station played extensive sets from festivals of years past. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to attend the festival in person, the magic of WWOZ and a portion of this easy to make festival favorite have the power to transport you there.

Jazzfest Quality Crawfish Bread

Makes 12 Servings

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1-pound boiled, peeled Louisiana crawfish tails with fat (can also be made with shrimp or fresh pork sausage)
1/3 cup very thinly sliced scallions
Tony Chachere’s More Spice, Less Salt seasoning OR salt and pepper to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste (about ½ tablespoon to 1 tablespoon)
1 (48-ounce) package frozen bread dough, such as Bridgeford (3 loaves), defrosted
11/2 cups shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
11/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Melted unsalted butter for brushing

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers soften and the garlic is fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the crawfish, scallions, Tony’s seasoning (or salt and pepper), and hot sauce. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Cover and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Roll each defrosted loaf of bread dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 20 x 5-inch rectangle. If you would prefer to have six smaller finished loaves instead of three large ones, cut each rectangle in half to form two pieces that are 10 x 5-inch rectangles. 

Divide the crawfish mixture evenly along the centers of each piece of dough. The mixture should be moist, not runny. Drain off some liquid if necessary. 

Divide the cheeses evenly atop the crawfish mixture taking care to keep it centered on the dough. Fold the dough over and pinch the edges to seal, fully enclosing the filing. Cut 2-inch slits on top of the filled dough to vent. Place the loaves on a greased baking sheet and brush the tops with melted butter. Bake until golden brown and the cheeses are bubbling from the slits in the dough, about 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cool 10 minutes—if you can keep grabbing hands at bay for that long. Slice and serve warm. 

What to Serve with Stuffed Crawfish Bread

Abita Amber is particularly nice, as the beer has the potency to cut through the richness of the cheeses while also holding its own against the spices and seasonings.

Notes

1. Loaves may be cooked halfway, cooled, wrapped in foil, and frozen. Bring to room temperature, unwrap and complete cooking to serve.
2. To transport the loaves wrap each hot, just-baked loaf tightly in foil to keep it intact and retain ambient heat.
3. Shrimp may be substituted for the pre-cooked, peeled crawfish. If doing so, use 1½ pounds peeled, raw shrimp (chop if large) and allow them to cook with the aromatic vegetables until they are fully pink. Drain off some liquid if the mixture seems runny before proceeding.
4. For a thrifty stuffed bread that will still get you feeling the spirit, remove the casings from 1 ½ pounds fresh Cajun pork sausage and sauté until the fat is rendered out and the sausage is brown, about 8 minutes. 

The Expert – Jyl Benson

I have spent a lifetime living for Jazzfest. I am also skilled in recipe development. Years ago, I spent days tinkering with the recipe that is now a dead ringer for the version Panaroma Foods (in Marksville) usually sells at Jazzfest in the spring. Figuring this out made me feel as though I had cracked the nuclear code. If I want my daughter to come home and invite all her friends, I need only to mention this is on the menu.