Gnocchetti

Wild Crawfish, Vanilla Tom Yum Butter, Pickled Mirliton, and Citrus Breadcrumbs

Chef Michael Gulotta of MOPHO | New Orleans

“I love finding pathways between Southeast Asian and Southeast Louisiana cuisines, and right now, it is crawfish season in New Orleans. At MOPHO, we toss our boiled crawfish with a spicy lime butter, and that got me thinking about a delicious tom yum soup I had the last time I was in Bangkok. So I married the two by combining the bright, aromatic flavors of tom yum with the hearty richness of a New Orleans crawfish étouffée, and instead of spooning it over rice, I tossed it with some toothsome gnocchetti pasta. Its ridges hold that silky shellfish butter perfectly. The vnlla Extract Co. +orange is the perfect addition to add that extra tropical, floral umami, perfuming the sauce and elevating it to a new level. Lastly, I love contrasting textures and flavors in a dish, and the bright crunch of the spicy, pickled mirliton achieves this while also showcasing an ingredient that is popular in both S.E. Asia and S.E. Louisiana.

Adapted by StarChefs | July 2021

INGREDIENTS:

Vanilla Tom Yum:
½ ounce virgin coconut oil
2 shallots, minced
1 red bell pepper, small diced
1 Thai chile
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 fingerroot ginger, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, sliced thinly into rings
1 lime leaf
1 teaspoon crab paste
1 cup shellfish stock
3 ounces coconut milk
4 ounces butter
1 ounce rendered bacon fat
2 teaspoons vnlla Extract Co. All Natural Vanilla Extract + Orange
½ bunch cilantro, thinly sliced
Juice and zest of 2 limes
Fish sauce

Citrus Herb Crust:
½ cup neutral oil
1 clove garlic
½ bunch cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 orange
¼ cup grated Grana Padano
1 cup panko breadcrumbs, lightly toasted

Vanilla Pickled Mirliton:
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vnlla Extract Co. +orange vanilla extract
½ teaspoon yuzu kosho
1 mirliton, peeled, seeded, and small diced

To Assemble and Serve:
8 ounces gnocchetti pasta, cooked until al dente, with some pasta water reserved
8 ounces picked crawfish tails
1 tablespoon sliced chive
2 tablespoons freshly grated Grana Padano

METHOD:

For the Vanilla Tom Yum Butter:
In a nonreactive pan, warm the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add in the shallot, red peppers, Thai chile, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and sweat for 3 minutes; do not caramelize. Add in the lime leaf and crab paste and sweat for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in the shellfish stock and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the butter and bacon fat to emulsify. Finish with the vanilla extract, cilantro, lime juice and zest, and fish sauce; cut the heat and let steep. Check seasoning and adjust as needed.

For the Citrus Herb Crust:
In a Vitamix blender, purée together the oil, garlic, cilantro, orange juice and zest, and Grana Padano to a fine paste. In a medium bowl, fold together the herb purée and toasted panko then lay out on a baking sheet to dry.

For the Vanilla Pickled Mirliton:
In a nonreactive pot, bring the vinegar and sugar to a simmer. Allow the vinegar mixture to cool then whisk in the vanilla extract and yuzu kosho. Pour the pickling liquid over the mirliton, cover, and let sit overnight in the cooler.

To Assemble and Serve:
Simmer the cooked gnocchetti in 16 ounces Vanilla Tom Yum Butter for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the crawfish tails and heat just to warm through. Separate the pasta into four bowls and top each with a healthy sprinkle of Vanilla Pickled Mirliton then Citrus Herb Crust, chives, and Grana Padano.

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