Crawfish ÉTouffée

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups onion – finely chopped
• 1 cup green bell pepper – finely chopped
• 1 cup celery – finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
• 0.5 tsp dried thyme
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups seafood stock
• 1 leaf bay
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 24 ounces crawfish tail meat – drained (include fat if present)
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 0.25 cup flat-leaf parsley – chopped
• long-grain white rice – cooked (for serving)
• flat-leaf parsley – chopped (for garnish)
• green onion – thinly sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Set a heavy 5–6 quart pot over medium heat and melt the butter.
2. Whisk in the flour to make a blond roux, stirring constantly until smooth and light peanut-colored, 8–10 minutes.
3. Add the onion, green bell pepper, and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened and glossy, 7–9 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Sprinkle in the paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, black pepper, and kosher salt; stir until evenly coated, 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the canned crushed tomatoes and cook 2 minutes to meld.
7. Gradually whisk in the seafood stock until smooth; add the bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
8. Add the crawfish tail meat (including any orange fat from the package) and the hot sauce; simmer gently 4–5 minutes until the crawfish are heated through. Do not overcook.
9. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the chopped parsley.
10. Spoon over cooked long-grain white rice and serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and sliced green onions.