SHRIMP and CRAWFISH STUFFED CHEESY BREAD

Shrimp and Crawfish Stuffed Cheesy Bread

1/2 recipe roll Dough

1/2 recipe shrimp and crawfish étouffée 

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 egg, beaten

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle.

With a slotted spoon, mound Etouffee down along center of dough.

Top with shredded cheeses.

Cut strips on either side of the mound of Etouffee.

Pull about 1 inch of the ends up and over the mound of Etouffee.

Bring each strip up and over the mound of Etouffee  making a braid.

Pinch ends together to seal.

Brush entire surface with beaten egg.

Transfer to greased baking sheet.

Place in warm spot to finish rising for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, place in preheated 350 oven and bake until golden brown.

Basic Yeast Roll Dough

4-1/2 tsp instant yeast (I purchase this at Sam’s)

1/2 cup warm water (about the same warmth as a baby bottle…you know…test it on your wrist)

2 cups warm milk ( see above about the baby bottle)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 to 7  cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer fitted with a paddle, dissolve the instant yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the warm water. Let stand for a couple of minutes until it starts foaming. Add the warm milk, melted butter, eggs, remainder of the sugar, and salt and turn the mixer on low to mix.  Add half of the flour one cup at a time and mix until smooth.

Remove the paddle and replace it with a dough hook. Add 3 – 4 more cups of flour one cup at a time. Knead the dough with the mixer for about 5 minutes. The dough should look and feel smooth and be a little sticky to the touch. If dough is overly sticky, add up to 1/2 cup more of flour. Put the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

FOR DINNER ROLLS:

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Form a ball and then start pinching off pieces and forming into balls and placing on greased baking sheet.    Cover and let rise for until doubled in size. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350.

Once the rolls have doubled in size, place in 350 oven and bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

FOR CLOVERLEAF ROLLS:

Use the basic yeast dough recipe.

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Form a ball and then start pinching off pieces and forming into small balls. Place 3 small balls into each cup of a muffin tin. After all muffin cups are filled, set muffin pan in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in size. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

FOR PIZZA ROLLS:

Substitute olive oil for melted butter in the Basic Yeast Dough Recipe. Also add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Roll out 1/2 of the dough into a large rectangle. Spread a layer of pizza sauce over the dough. Sprinkle generously with Mozzarella cheese. Add what ever other pizza ingredients you may like.

Starting at the bottom of the dough, gently roll into a log. Slice into sections and place in greased muffin pan. Set aside in warm spot to rise, about 30 minutes to an hour.

Bake in preheated 350 oven about 20 minutes or until brown.

FOR MOZZARELLA STUFFED GARLIC BUBBLE BREAD:

Substitute olive oil for melted butter in the Basic Yeast Dough Recipe. Also add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.

After the dough has risen, punch it down in the center and turn out on a floured surface, knead it by hand for a minute or so. Form a ball and then start pinching off pieces and forming into small balls around a small piece of Mozzarella cheese. Place 3 small balls into each cup of a muffin tin. After all muffin cups are filled, set muffin pan in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in size. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

Shrimp and Crawfish Étouffée 

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon Tony’s Cajun Seasoning

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato juice

1 12 ounce package frozen crawfish

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 cup cold water

Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery in olive oil and butter over medium heat until tender crisp.

Stir in red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seasoning, and Tony’s Cajun Seasoning.

Add chicken broth and tomato juice.

Add crawfish.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add shrimp, simmer until shrimp are pink. About 5 minutes.

Stir corn starch into 1/2 cold water. Add to etouffee in steady stream. Stir until thickened. About 5 minutes.

Serve over hot rice.  Garnish with chopped green onion.