crayfish

Any of several freshwater crustaceans that resemble tiny lobsters, complete with claws. Crayfish range in size from 3-6 inches and weigh 2-8 ounces. The majority of the U.S. harvest comes from the Mississippi basin, and many Louisianans call their state the "crawfish capital of the world." Crayfish can be prepared in most manners appropriate for lobster and, like lobster, turn bright red when cooked. They're usually eaten with the fingers, and the sweet, succulent meat must be picked or sucked out of the tiny shells. The crayfish is typical of most shrimplike crustaceans and is characterised by a joined head and thorax (midsection) and a segmented body, which is sandy yellow, green, white, pink or dark brown in color. A Yabbie (or Yabby) is an Australian fresh water crustacean, similar in size and shape to a bayou crayfish. In Australia crayfish is the name give in to lobster. Yabbies are prolific breeders and can be found in abundance in farmers dams and ponds. They migrate from dam to dam during wet weather or nights with a heavy dew, so a large fresh water enclosure used to supply water to farm animals may have no yabbies in it when it is first dug into the ground, but in twelve months time it can be teeming with them.

Ingredient

Season: available year-round

How to prepare: boil, grill, saute, stew

Matches well with: avocadoes, basil, brandy, bread crumbs, butter, carrots, coriander, cream, dill, garlic, hollandaise sauce, leeks, lemon, mayonnaise, nutmeg, onions, parsley, shallots, sherry, sorrel, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, vinegar, white wine