RECIPE: Crawfish Etouffee

Crawfish Etouffee

Serves 4 generous portions.

Ingredients
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1 c. water
2-3 tbsp. instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 lb. butter (1 stick)
2 c. chopped onions (about 1 large )
1 c. chopped celery (about 3-4 stalks)
1/2 c. chopped bell pepper (about 1/2 large)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp. chopped green onion
1 lb. peeled crawfish tails (all I can usually find are frozen)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning to taste

Preparation
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Coursely chop the onion, bell peppers, & celery, and put them piles on a plate for later use.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, 1 celery, and bell peppers and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden. You want the onions to almost caramelize – this gives them a sweet rather than sharp taste.

Add crawfish and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium, stir occasionally and cook “until the crawfish begin throwing off a little liquid” — another 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, dissolve 2 tbsp. instant potato flakes in the cup of water and add to the crawfish mixture. You are using instant potatos instead of flour to create the roux that will thicken the sauce. Most people use flour, but the potatos create a smoother mix and don’t leave the flour taste behind. As the etouffee is cooking, add a bit more of the flakes to thicken it up if need be.

The add the salt and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Personally, I like it with some kick, so I liberally shake and taste until it seems right 🙂 Remember it will simmer in with more flavor, so don’t overdo to begin with – just get a nice taste.

Stir about ten minutes until the mixture thickens.

At this point, I often let the etouffee cool a bit, stick it in a tupperware, and serve it the next day after its had time to sit. It definately gets better with time.

When you are ready to eat it, be sure to cook up enough white or brown rice to go with it. If you are reheating the etouffee, do so slowly in the same pan you used to cook it. Once it is hot, add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and 3 tablespoons of chopped green onions and cook for another 2 minutes. As always, remove the bay leaves before serving.