Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée Recipe
Popular around the state, étouffée literally means "smothered." This rich Creole dish can be prepared with crawfish or shrimp and is served over rice.
Étouffée Recipe Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound cooked Louisiana crawfish tail meat (thaw if frozen)
- hot cooked rice, as needed
Method of Preparation:
In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter and then stir in the flour. Cook and stir constantly over low heat for about 20 minutes, until mixture is a caramel-colored paste called a roux. Add the celery, pepper, and onions; stir until coated.
Add the broth, water, parsley, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Creole seasoning, and cayenne. Stir the pot well to make sure that the roux is well incorporated and there are no lumps.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add crawfish and heat through. Serve over rice.
