Author Andrew Lawler sits down with us on this week’s Louisiana Eats! to discuss Why Did The Chicken Cross The World, which is also the title of his new book. You’ll be amazed by the many ways that simple bird has impacted humanity over the ages. Even Queen Victoria gets into the act, with her fascination for fancy hybrid chickens helping to bring about the “chicken bubble.” Would you pay thousands of dollars for a clucker? Nineteenth century Europeans did!

Then, Al Scramuzza, the Crawfish King, recounts how he popularized the mudbug in New Orleans of the 1950s. The inimitable Al even breaks into song with one of his catchy Seafood City jingles.

And Swamp Pop creator, John Peterson cools us off with his Louisiana-made soda pop. Made with real Louisiana grown cane sugar, we enjoy a tasting of all the Swamp Pop fresh flavors – even the limited edition Strawberry Pop – something that only one in a thousand Gulf Coast residents will have a chance to taste.

Crawfish and Artichoke Risotto

Serves 4 – 6

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup Arborio rice

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup water

1 onion, chopped

1 can artichoke hearts

1 pound crawfish tails

¼ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a 3½ quart saucepan, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until they are translucent. Add rice and stir over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until rice is well coated with butter and begins to smell nutty. Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving the liquid, and chop the hearts coarsely. Empty the bag of crawfish tails and rinse out the bag with the cup of water. Combine the artichoke liquid, the rinse water from the crawfish bag, and the white wine and the chicken stock. Add 1 cup of the liquid to the rice and simmer together, stirring continuously. As the liquid is absorbed, continue to add more; a cup of so at a time until the rice is tender. This should take about 30-40 minutes in total. Stir in the artichoke hearts and crawfish tails. Add the grated cheese and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve at once.