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Lagniappe Recipe - Jazz Fest Pasta
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Al dente ( pronounced ahl den' tay ) - Firm to the bite, yet tender; an Italian term referring originally to pasta but currently applied broadly, especially to vegetables.

Dutch oven - A large, heavy pot or kettle used for cooking which has a tight-fitting lid and is often made of cast iron. (See 'Shop with Bedrock Press' above.)

Lagniappe - ( pronounced lan-yap' ) Louisiana French still used in the Gulf states, USA, especially southern Louisiana, to denote a little something extra or an unexpected gift or benefit.

The following recipe is for preparing one of the most popular dishes served at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival -- the line at the food booth serving this outstanding pasta is always one of longest on the Fairgrounds.

Jazz Fest Pasta

1 (12-oz.) pkg. frozen crawfish tails (see Recipe Note 1 below)
1 (16-oz.) pkg. Rotini or Fusilli pasta, cooked al dente
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter -- do not use margarine
1 lg. bunch green onions, chopped (including tops)
3 to 10 cloves garlic, minced (amount of garlic depends on personal taste)
16 oz. commercial half-and-half or light cream (see Recipe Note 2 below)
1 to 2 T. Josef's Cajun Seasoning for seafood (see Recipe Note 3 below)
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Prepare ahead: Remove frozen crawfish tails from freezer and allow to thaw in package. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, rinse under cool water and drain again; set aside.
To prepare crawfish pasta: Melt butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Add thawed crawfish tails directly from package; saute for 5 minutes. Stir in light cream. Add small amounts of Cajun seasoning, tasting after each addition until seasoning is adjusted to taste. Stir in nutmeg and continue to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. (Do not allow sauce to come to a hard boil during preparation to prevent cream from separating.) Add cooked, well-drained pasta and toss well to coat with sauce. Warm for an additional 10 minutes over low heat (stirring often) to thicken. Serve immediately as an entree with green salad, French bread and dry white wine. Yields 6 generous servings.
Recipe Notes:
(1) If fresh crawfish are available, by all means use in this recipe. If fresh or frozen crawfish are not available, an equal amount of lump crabmeat or small peeled shrimp may be substituted in preparing this simple yet elegant dish.
(2) Light cream (half-and-half) may be prepared by mixing equal parts whole milk and heavy cream. (Ex: 8 oz. whole milk + 8 oz. heavy cream = 16 oz. light cream)
(3) You can find the recipe for preparing Josef's Cajun Seasoning in the January 2005 Edition of Lagniappe Recipe ( http://tinyurl.com/4uqvx ) or you may substitute a commercial seasoning such as Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning in this recipe.

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The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, aka Jazz Fest, is a 10-day cultural feast in which thousands of musicians, cooks and craftspeople welcome 500,000 visitors each year. Jazz Fest showcases unforgettable music on 12 stages, delicious Louisiana cuisine in two large food areas, and crafts artisans from the region and around the world demonstrating and selling their work.

The Music - The Festival celebrates the indigenous music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana, so the music encompasses every style associated with the city and the state: blues, R&B, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, Afro-Caribbean, folk, Latin, rock, rap, country, bluegrass and everything in between. And of course there is lots of jazz, both contemporary and traditional.

The Food - The food areas offer 20 shrimp dishes, 27 crawfish selections and over 40 dessert options, along with a collection of gumbos, soups, salads, and inventive entrees influenced by local customs and flavors. The food courts include: Food Area I, Food Area II, Congo Square, Heritage Square, International, Bluesville, Around the Grounds, Grandstand and Kids Area. For a complete food list, visit http://www.nojazzfest.com/food/2004food.html

The Crafts - Beginning in the early '70s with only a handful of artisans, the Festivals crafts currently include the diverse works of more than 300 regionally and nationally acclaimed artists in four distinct event venues: Louisiana Folklife Village, Louisiana Marketplace, Congo Square and Heritage square.

This year's Festival well be held at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course over the course of 2 weekends: Friday, April 22 - Sunday, April 24 and Thursday, April 28 - Sunday, May 1, 2005.

For complete information about Jazz Fest, visit http://www.nojazzfest.com