From “One Dish Meals” by the Culinary Institute of America, makes 5 servings.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat or canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups minced onion
- 1 cup minced celery
- 3/4 cup minced green bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon mild paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
- Salt as needed
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fish broth
- 1 1/4 pound crawfish tail meat with fat
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green portions
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Directions
Heat the bacon fat or canola oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat until it simmers.
Add the onion and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the celery, bell pepper and garlic, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the paprika, white and black pepper, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt; saute, stirring constantly until aromatic, about 1 minute.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and pasty, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and stir well to work out any lumps. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the crawfish tails and their fat. Cover the pot and cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until the crawfish is cooked through and very hot, 8 to 10 minutes. Add a little more broth as needed throughout the cooking time if the étouffée is getting too thick. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Add the butter, scallions, basil and parsley and stir to combine. Serve in heated bowls.
Wine ideas: A rich white wine will match this in warming satisfaction without obliterating the flavors of the sweet crawfish meat. Look for whites made from Rhône varieties such as a marsanne and roussanne; Jean-Luc Colombo’s Côtes du Rhône Les Abeillles is a terrific example under $18. — Tara Q. Thomas
