Recipe: Crawfish Ettouffe for Janelle (Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen 1984)

Crawfish Etouffee
Source: Chef Paul Prudhomme
8 servings

SEASONING MIX:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried sweet basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
7 tb. vegetable oil
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups BASIC SEAFOOD STOCK
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 lbs. peeled crawfish tails or medium shrimps
1 cup very finely chopped green onions
4 cups hot BASIC COOKED Rice

Combine seasoning mix ingredients in small bowl. Set aside. In separate bowl combine the onions, celery & bell peppers. In large heavy skillet heat the oil in high heat until it begins to smoke. With long handled metal whisk, gradually mix in the flour, stirring until smooth. Continue cooking whisking constantly, until ROUX is dark red brown (abt. 3-5 minutes). Remone from heat & immediately stir in the vegetables & 1 Tb. of the seasoning mix with a wooden spoon; continue stirring until cooled (abt. 5 minutes).

In a 2 qt. saucepan bring 2 cups of the stock to boil over high heat. Gradually add the roux & whisk until thoroughly dissolved. Reduce heat to low & cook until the flour taste is gone, about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat & set aside.

Heat the serving plates in a 250 oven.

In a 4 qt. saucepan melt 1 stick of the butter over medium heat. Stir in the crawfish & the green onions; saut about 1 minute stirring constantly. Add the remaining stick of butter, the stock mixture & the remaining 1 cup of stock; cook until butter melts & is mixed into the sauce, about 4-6 minutes, constantly shaking the pan in a back & forth motion (versus stirring). Add the remaining seasoning mix; stir well & remove from heat (if sauce starts separating, add about 2 more TB of stock or water & shake pan until it combines). Serve immediately.

To serve, mound 1/2 cup of rice on each heated serving plate. Surround the rice with 3/4 cup of the etouffee.