Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2006 10:48:54 GMT -5
I saw a request for this in the Gumbo thread and thought I'd share my recipe. I think I got it from a Louisiana "home cooking" cookbook several years ago. There are lots of variations so I hope others will post their versions as well.
This one is a bit time consuming but not difficult at all to make. You can pick up a mini food processor from Wal-Mart for a few dollars which makes the chopping go a lot faster. Purists will complain about the onions getting a bit watery (and be careful it doesn't mince the veggies instead of chop them) but it sure saves time and mess if you're in a hurry.
Unfortunately, I can't get fresh crawfish any more so I have to make do with the frozen tails from the grocery store. I also add quite a bit more cayenne pepper and some hot sauce.
/VM
Crawfish Étouffée
¼ lb butter (one stick)
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped celery
½ c chopped bell peppers
1 lb peeled crawfish tails
2 bay leaves
1 T flour
1 c water
1 t salt
¼ t cayenne pepper
2 T chopped parsley
3 T chopped green onions
Melt 1/4 pound of butter (one stick) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups of chopped onions, 1 cup of chopped celery, and 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden. Add a pound of peeled crawfish tails and 2 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 a tablespoon of flour in a cup of water. Add it to the crawfish mixture and season with a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Stir about four minutes until the mixture thickens. 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.
This one is a bit time consuming but not difficult at all to make. You can pick up a mini food processor from Wal-Mart for a few dollars which makes the chopping go a lot faster. Purists will complain about the onions getting a bit watery (and be careful it doesn't mince the veggies instead of chop them) but it sure saves time and mess if you're in a hurry.
Unfortunately, I can't get fresh crawfish any more so I have to make do with the frozen tails from the grocery store. I also add quite a bit more cayenne pepper and some hot sauce.
/VM
Crawfish Étouffée
¼ lb butter (one stick)
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped celery
½ c chopped bell peppers
1 lb peeled crawfish tails
2 bay leaves
1 T flour
1 c water
1 t salt
¼ t cayenne pepper
2 T chopped parsley
3 T chopped green onions
Melt 1/4 pound of butter (one stick) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups of chopped onions, 1 cup of chopped celery, and 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden. Add a pound of peeled crawfish tails and 2 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 a tablespoon of flour in a cup of water. Add it to the crawfish mixture and season with a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Stir about four minutes until the mixture thickens. 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.
