Most weekends, Jim and I head out to the country, to Meaux, where my Great Grandpa Adam Meaux, had the family farm. Arriving today, in the midst of the hottest days of the summer, after a three hour drive, the idea of going to the store to grocery shop, just wasn’t appealing. I always try to make sure that I am able to “throw things together” in an easy way to avoid those days when traveling into town for groceries just isn’t appealing.

In the days of farm to table, “frozen” and “canned” come with a negative connotation, but not if you were raised in a small town in southwest Louisiana in the mid twentieth century where fresh wasn’t always an option. Filled with our family raised and butchered beef, harvested crawfish tails and garden grown vegetables, the family deep freezer stored food to feed a family of eight!

I think it was during the 70’s that Cajun cooks discovered the magic of Campbell’s Mushroom Soup. On hot days, or any day where making a blond roux is too much work, no need to sweat, just open a can!

Crawfish Etoufee    Serves 2
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup green bell peppers, diced
1 small leek, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 – 10 3/4 ounces can of Campbell’s Mushroom soup

1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
salt to taste
Pinch cayenne
1/2 lb. fresh frozen Louisiana crawfish tails
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons canned Plantin truffle peelings

Melt butter in cast iron skillet. Add onion, celery, belly pepper and sweat on medium heat, for about 5 minutes, no color. Add leeks and garlic cook for 30 seconds. Add the can of Campbell’s Mushroom Soup and 1/4 cup of stock or water to thin . Stir well to combine. Add the bay leaf, thyme sprig , salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of cayenne. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the crawfish tails, frozen peas and truffle peelings. Let simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped Parsley.

Serve with steamed Long-grain rice or Papparadelle