WFMW-The perfect dish for a cold fall day
In my Thursday Thirteen last week I mentioned how I love to make a big batch of crawfish etouffee when the weather gets cold. Several people asked for my recipe and by several, I mean Barb. But I really like Barb, so for her and anyone else that has a hankering for a little Cajun cuisine, here is my recipe. You can double it, triple it, quadruple it and it freezes beautifully.
Big Mama’s Crawfish Etouffee
1/4 c. diced celery
1/4 c. diced onion
1/4 c. diced bell pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. black pepper
5 tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 c. flour
2 c. chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1/2 stick butter
1 bunch green onions, chopped (separate white and green parts)
1 lb. peeled crawfish tails (defrosted if frozen) – you can substitute shrimp if you prefer
Hot cooked rice
In a small bowl, combine celery, onion, and bell pepper. In a separate bowl, combine cayenne, salt, basil, thyme, and black pepper and set aside.
Make a roux: In a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the vegetable oil until very hot, then gradually add the flour. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly until it turns chocolate brown. Be careful not to burn it. Reduce heat and add celery, onion, bell pepper to roux. Add seasoning mixture. Let cook 2-3 minutes on low heat, stirring.
Heat chicken stock in a large pot, then add roux mixture, stirring until there are no lumps. Continue to simmer until sauce is thickened. In a skillet, melt butter, add white part of green onions, and crawfish; saute 2-3 minutes, the add to pot with sauce. Simmer about 30 minutes.
Serve with rice and garnish with green part of green onions if desired. Make sure you have plenty of french bread to sop up the sauce.
I know this may sound a little labor intensive, but it is beyond worth it!
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