Easy Crawfish Etouffee Recipe

The delectable dish is usually made with crawfish, but other meats such as crab or shrimp, are not at all uncommon. A roux base is then added and combined with celery, green bell pepper, onion, and cayenne pepper. The entire etouffee dish is then slow cooked and served over rice.

Unlike gumbo, the roux (browned flour) of etouffee isn't a dark brown and the texture of the dish is thicker. Instead the roux is a reddish brown that sometimes gets its color from the seasonings that the meat is boiled in. To create a lighter brown, vegetable oil is used since it does not burn as easily as butter does. Some do choose to use butter, believing that it is the only way to make etouffee. Others use cornstarch or tomatoes, but many claim that using anything but a roux is not authentic ettouffee.

Ingredients for Crawfish Etouffee

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups Cajun Trinity
1 medium diced onion
1 bell pepper
3 stalks chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes
2-3 cups water or chicken stock
1 - 1 lb package crawfish tails
Tony's Creole Seasoning
Sea Salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup Long grain white rice
Chopped Green Onions for garnish

Cooking Directions for Crawfish Etouffee

In a 6 qt pot, heat the canola oil and saute the Cajun Trinity until well softened.

In a deep stainless steel skillet, begin making the Roux
by melting butter on medium heat (#6).

With a flat wooden spatula, gradually add flour and continually stir.

The Roux will become a carmel color. When it's a nice deep brown color, turn off the heat and carefully transfer the Roux to the Cajun Trinity.

Stir well to keep from scorching.

Add 1 can Rotel tomatoes and water/stock.

One to two cups should be added for a thick stew consistency. Add more water/stock if you would like more of a gumbo or soup consistency.

Add 1 tablespoon Tony's Creole Seasoning and a sprinkle of Sea Salt.

Add crawfish tails and stir well.

Simmer the Crawfish Etouffee on medium low for 30 minutes.

Stir often to prevent sticking or scorching.

Meanwhile, to cook the rice - bring 2 cups water to a boil.

Add a pat of butter or margarine and a pinch of salt.

Stir in 1 cup rice.

Cover and turn the heat on low (#3) and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.

Serving Suggestions for Crawfish Etouffee

Serve Crawfish Etouffee over a mound of rice. Garnish with chopped green onions or chopped fresh parsley. Goes well with French bread rolls or Garlic Toast.

Despite what some people think, making etouffee is actually easier than it looks. The key is to cook everything slowly or the etouffee can wind up burning very easily. Unfortunately if the roux burns, the entire thing might as well be thrown out. Ingredients for the etouffee are almost always the same. However, similar vegetables in the etouffee can easily be added or taken away. You can use red and yellow bell peppers in place of green bell peppers; scallions and garlic can be added, as well as green onions.

Generally an etouffee consists of crawfish as the main ingredient, however just like the vegetables, an etouffee can be made with shrimp, crab and even chicken or turkey. It really depends on what is in season, or available from the area.

Because cooking is such a popular activity in Louisiana, some towns like Eunice, Louisiana celebrate their love for food and Etouffee is no stranger to the celebration.

Each year, the town of Eunice holds an Etouffee Festival where participants create their favorite etouffee dishes and compete with others in the official, "Eunice Crawfish Etouffee Cook-Off."

The Etouffee Festival is held on the last Sunday in March. The festival is so popular that there are nearly 100 competitors who enter the contest and thousands of visitors each year, who visit this annual etouffee event. And just what does the winner of the cook-off receive? Why the bragging rights as the best etouffee cook, of course!

And with all of the etouffee publicity, it's no wonder this dish is so wonderfully delicious and a favorite among the Louisianans.