Louisiana Crawfish Étouffée Recipe (with Video)

Preparation of Vegetables and Roux
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or large cast iron pot over medium heat.
2. Add the holy trinity (diced celery, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and yellow onion) to the pot.
3. Sauté them until they become softened and fragrant.
4. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook until the garlic becomes fragrant as well.
5. Gradually add the dry roux in parts, immediately stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent it from burning.
6. Ensure that the roux combines thoroughly with the vegetables.
Adding Stock and Seasoning
1. Pour in 2 cups of seafood stock and mix well.
2. Simmer the mixture over the lowest heat setting for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to thicken the mixture.
3. Continuously scrape the bottom to ensure that the dry roux is fully incorporated into the stock during the cooking process.
4. After simmering, add Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, onion powder, pepper, salt (to taste), and tomato paste.
5. Mix until well combined.
Final Cooking and Serving
1. Pour in an additional 2-3 cups of seafood stock (depending on how thick you want it) and add the bay leaves.
2. Mix everything together.
3. Allow the mixture to cook for about 30 minutes to achieve the desired thickness.
4. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a few more tablespoons of seafood stock.
5. Stir in the cleaned crawfish tail meat, and diced scallions.
6. Simmer the étouffée for approximately 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, to cook the crawfish and ensure all flavors meld together.
7. Serve the Crawfish Étouffée over cooked rice, garnishing with additional diced scallions.