Chef notes
This dish is perfect to serve at all kinds of parties and gatherings, especially during Mardi Gras!
Technique tip: Instead of standing over a stove for hours while cooking a roux low and slow to reach the perfect color, heat your oil until it's smoking and extremely hot. Quickly add the flour, whisk vigorously and you will see that your roux has already browned quickly. This technique, which we learned from legendary Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme, cuts down the dark roux cooking time in half.
Swap option: If you can't find crawfish, the closest protein option would be shrimp, which also works nicely but slightly changes the dish's flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup corn oil
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound peeled crawfish tails
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
- Steamed rice, to serve
Preparation
1.Heat a medium cast-iron pot over high heat until smoking. Add corn oil and flour and whisk vigorously to start browning your roux. Stir constantly until the roux has reached a milk chocolate or pecan color.
2.Once the roux has reached this deeper-brown color, add the tomato sauce and butter. Stir to combine and then immediately add onions, celery, green bell peppers and sauté until softened and translucent. Add garlic and stir.
3.Next, add the chicken stock, bay leaves, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
4.Add the crawfish tails and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for another 20 minutes.
5.To finish, stir in chopped parsley and green onions. Serve over steamed rice.
