Ingredients
1-3/4 lb. large shrimp in the shell.
1 lb Crawfish.
7 Tbs. butter, cut into 1 Tbs. pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Elderberry Dark Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs. chopped garlic.
Lemon wedges (optional).
Note: If using shrimp in the shell, peel and devein them. If using cleaned shrimp, skip this step. Either way, dry the shrimp well with paper towels and set aside.
Directions
Put a colander or large strainer in a bowl and set it beside the range. In a large skillet set over high heat, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter. When the butter froths, add the shrimp and crawfish, season well with salt and pepper. Stir several times as the shrimp and crawfish cooks — they may brown slightly, which is good. They’re done as soon as they’re just cooked through, opaque for the shrimp and red for the crawfish. Best to taste each one to check. Remove the pan from the heat; transfer the shrimp and crawfish with a slotted spoon to the colander. Cover them loosely with foil and set aside to keep warm while making the sauce.
Pour off all but 1 or 2 tsp. of liquid from the pan. Set the pan back over high heat and add the remaining 6 Tbs. butter, swirling the pan once or twice until the butter turns light brown, about 2 minutes. (Any brown bits that have stuck to the pan will become even browner, but they should not burn)
Immediately pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and start scraping up the brown bits. Continue to scrape and cook until the sauce thickens somewhat and starts to appear glaze-like, about 2 minutes. The sauce will reduce to a scant 1/2 cup. Turn off the heat and stir in the drained shrimp and crawfish (discard any accumulated liquid in the bowl) to coat them lightly with the sauce and briefly rewarm them without cooking any further. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs and serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.
Note: Try serving this dish with orzo tossed with butter and grated Parmesan and a salad.