Crawfish or Shrimp Etouffee

Authentic Low Country Dish

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 6  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2  cups  crawfish stock or 2  cups bottled clam juice
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 6  tablespoons butter
• 8  green onions, thinly sliced
• 2  lbs crawfish tails, peeled or 1 1⁄2 lbs  peeled and deveined shrimp
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄2 cup  minced fresh parsley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  hot pepper sauce
• 3  cups  hot cooked white rice

Directions

1. In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium for 1 minute.
2. Add the flour and cook over med. to med.-high heat, stirring constantly, for 6 to 10 min., or until the roux turns a rich mahogany color.
3. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 min., or until the vegetables begin to soften.
4. Whisk in the stock, bring to a boil over med.-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the basil, thyme, cayenne, and salt.
6. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minute.
7. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over med. heat.
8. Add the green onions and the crawfish tails and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minute or until the crawfish turns pink.
9. Stir in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
10. Add the crawfish mixture to the roux base.
11. Cut the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into small pieces. Reduce the heat to very low and add the butter to the mixture, 1 piece at a time, stirring well after each addition.
12. Stir in the parsley and hot-pepper sauce.
13. To serve, divide the rice among 8 serving plates and spoon the mixture over rice.