INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium Spanish or white onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 pounds peeled crawfish tails
- 1 bunch green onions (3 to 4 bulbs), sliced (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 cups cooked rice, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil begins to lightly smoke, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until it turns a peanut butter brown color. Turn off the heat. Stir in the celery, onions and peppers and cook until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Return the heat to medium to medium-low and stir in the garlic and bay leaves. While the trinity cooks, combine the cayenne, thyme, white pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Stir into the skillet, a little at a time, to build flavor (see Cook’s Note).
- Whisk in the stock 1 cup at a time, making sure it is incorporated and smooth. Bring to a boil, then cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the crawfish and cook until they tighten in appearance, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, then stir in half of the green onions. Serve immediately over fluffed rice with hot sauce and garnish with the remaining green onions.
NOTES
- Seasoning the vegetables a little at a time with the savory seasoning at each stage builds and deepens the flavors of the étouffée.