Crawfish Étoufée

I found this in Southern Living, April 2002. ince next Tuesday (February 28/06) is Fat Tuesday, I decided to post this for Mardi Gras!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  large shallot, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄4 cup  shopped fresh parsley
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh chives
• 2  lbs  cooked peeled crawfish tails or 2  lbs  frozen cooked crawfish tails, thawed & drained
•  hot cooked rice (your regular recipe)

• Garnishes

•  chopped fresh chives (optional)
•  ground red pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Add flour, salt and red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until caramel colored(about 10 minutes).
4. Add the next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly.
5. Stir crawfish; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
6. Serve with rice.
7. Garnish, if desired.