Cajun Crawfish Patties

For a good ol' Cajun breakfast, serve wtih scrambled or fried eggs and toasted French bread.

• Ready In: 47 mins
• Yields: 8 to 12 patties

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups  packed  fresh breadcrumbs
• 1  lb  peeled crawfish tail, chopped
• 2  ounces tasso, chopped (or other smoky ham)
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped onion
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped green bell pepper
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  large egg, beaten
• 1  cup  saltine crumbs
•  vegetable oil, for panfrying

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Scatter the bread crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes or until dry and golden; dump crumbs into a mixing bowl.
3. In the container of a food processor; add the crawfish (fat too, if any) and tasso; pulse just enough times to mince the mixture (stop short of pureeing); add crawfish mixture to the mixing bowl with the breadcrumbs.
4. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
5. Stir in the onions, celery, and bell pepper; saute/stir briefly until the vegetables are soft.
6. Stir in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt, and cayenne and remove from the heat.
7. Scrape the mixture into the mixing bowl; also add in the egg and combine mixture.
8. Form mixture into 8-12 patties, no thicker that 1/2 inch.
9. The mixture will be a little fragile.
10. Coat the patties with the cracker crumbs by holding each patty in your hand and sprinkling both sides with cracker crumbs.
11. Refrigerate patties for about 10 minutes.
12. Warm 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat; fry the patties 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
13. Drain and serve hot.