Crawfish Pasta

Method

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add the onion, celery, and green pepper, sauteing for five minutes until softened, a technique known as making the 'holy trinity' in Creole cooking. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant, then add the Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper and toast for thirty seconds. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and fish stock, add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer for ten minutes to develop the flavours. Gently fold in the crawfish tails and Worcestershire sauce, simmering for five minutes until the crawfish are heated through. Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle in salted boiling water according to packet instructions, then drain and reserve one hundred millilitres of pasta water. Stir the double cream into the crawfish sauce and season with salt and pepper, adding reserved pasta water if needed to achieve a silky consistency. Toss the cooked pasta with the crawfish sauce, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately in warm bowls.