Prejean's Crawfish Etouffee

Light Roux:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Etouffee:
1 cup butter
3/4 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped, bottoms only
1/2 cup bellpepper, finely diced
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1/2 cup tomato, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
a tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
5 cups seafood stock
2 pounds whole crawfish tails, peeled and cooked
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced, tops only

For the roux, combine butter and flour in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until roux is light peanut butter brown in color. Remove from heat and continue to stir for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the etouffee, in a medium saucepan, add butter, onion, green onion bottoms, bellpepper, celery, parsley, tomato and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables become transparent. Add cayenne, black pepper, white pepper and salt and cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Add water and stock. Bring to a boil. Add reserved roux, stirring well with a wire whip. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until reduced to desired consistency. Add crawfish and green onion tops. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Hold on very low heat until ready to serve over rice. Makes about 2 quarts.

Note: This recipe uses a roux, while many etouffee recipes do not, but this is one of the best etouffees I’ve ever made. It serves a crowd and has a nice consistency, although I did have to cook it down for a few hours to get it just right. – Editor Erin Z. Bass 

Recipe from Prejean’s Cookbook and Prejean’s Restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana.