**Crawfish étouffée** is a dish that is essentially smothered crawfish over rice. There are lots of ways to do it—this particular version is a different from the way I do mine (I don’t use cream, and I make seafood stock for the base, and I don’t add the green onions until the end) but it’s still a good recipe. I know people are going to bitch about it, but I hope someone enjoys it!
Sprinkle the crawfish with the hot sauce and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the red pepper. Stir together the oil and flour in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until the roux is the color of a penny.
Stir in the celery and next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the crawfish and 1/2 cup water; cook over low, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cream. Serve over the rice.
**Notes**: There are lots of ways to take this recipe and improve on it. First, skip the water and use a good seafood stock. You can make it by cooking the heads and shells of crawdads and shrimp with some aromatics. Nothing beats using a homemade seafood stock in your étouffée! Second, add some bay leaf (I like to use **ground bay leaves**) as well as some fresh **thyme** and if you have it **marjoram**.
How dark you get your roux is a personal preference. For this dish I like to do a peanut butter roux, close to around a [number 7 or 8 on this chart, for reference]( https://imgur.com/a/u0a33). IMO you don’t necessarily need the cream here, but it adds a nice richness. However, the roux by itself should be more than enough to bring the richness and creaminess to the stew.
Use **fresh** crawfish if you can, and if you have to use the frozen stuff make sure it is U.S. and NOT from China.
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**Crawfish étouffée** is a dish that is essentially smothered crawfish over rice. There are lots of ways to do it—this particular version is a different from the way I do mine (I don’t use cream, and I make seafood stock for the base, and I don’t add the green onions until the end) but it’s still a good recipe. I know people are going to bitch about it, but I hope someone enjoys it!
Source: [Southern Living]( https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/crawfish-etouffee-recipe)
4 pounds peeled crawfish tails with fat
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
celery ribs, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
3 large green bell peppers, chopped
1 bunch green onions with tops, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream
Sprinkle the crawfish with the hot sauce and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the red pepper.
Stir together the oil and flour in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until the roux is the color of a penny.
Stir in the celery and next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the crawfish and 1/2 cup water; cook over low, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
Stir in the salt, black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cream. Serve over the rice.
**Notes**: There are lots of ways to take this recipe and improve on it. First, skip the water and use a good seafood stock. You can make it by cooking the heads and shells of crawdads and shrimp with some aromatics. Nothing beats using a homemade seafood stock in your étouffée! Second, add some bay leaf (I like to use **ground bay leaves**) as well as some fresh **thyme** and if you have it **marjoram**.
How dark you get your roux is a personal preference. For this dish I like to do a peanut butter roux, close to around a [number 7 or 8 on this chart, for reference]( https://imgur.com/a/u0a33). IMO you don’t necessarily need the cream here, but it adds a nice richness. However, the roux by itself should be more than enough to bring the richness and creaminess to the stew.
Use **fresh** crawfish if you can, and if you have to use the frozen stuff make sure it is U.S. and NOT from China.