Crawfish Cheesecake

A few people, including my darling husband, were dubious about this recipe concept, but I persevered and this recipe was granted 5 gold stars, many thumbs up and a “we’re gonna need this again” at last weekend’s Cajun themed BBQ.

The original recipe calls for crawfish, but those just don’t exist in my current hemisphere of residence. I substituted shrimp/prawns with stellar results and I think, crab or lobster meat could be used as well. The only change I recommend would be to only make a half batch in a smaller pan. It’s very rich and little goes a long way.

Crawfish Cheesecake

1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup finely chopped onion ½ cup finely chopped green sweet pepper ½ cup finely chopped red sweet pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese – softened 4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese (1 cup), shredded 3 eggs 1 pound fresh or frozen cooked, shelled crawfish tails packaged with juice or 1 pound cooked, shelled and deveined medium shrimp, coarsely chopped ½ cup whipping cream Fresh herbs (optional) Caviar (optional) Crackers or toasted baguette slices

For crust: In a medium bowl, combine parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and melted butter. Press the mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Set the crust aside.

In a medium skillet, cook onion and sweet peppers in hot oil over medium heat for 2 minutes (I added a couple of cloves of garlic for good cause). Add salt & black pepper. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Remove pan from heat. Set aside.

For filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and Gouda with an electric mixer till smooth. Add eggs, beating till just combined (don’t overbeat). Stir in the onion mixture, crawfish tails or shrimp and the whipping cream.

Pour filling into crust. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until center appears nearly set when shaken. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

To serve, remove sides of pan. With a warm knife, cut into wedges. Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices. (I sprinkled Creole seasoning on the top before baking. It added a bit of flavor and some color.  I also highly recommend serving the cheesecake with the toasted baguettes)