Pappadeaux Crawfish Etouffee Recipe
Oh my, Pappadeaux's crawfish étouffée has the deep, rich taste that comes from a slow-cooked roux and just the right amount of spice.Did I already give away their general secrets You bet I did!A medium-brown roux is another secret—it takes patience, but it gives the sauce that deep, nutty taste without burning.Fresh crawfish tails are ideal, but frozen works as long as you get Louisiana crawfish and not the bland imports.The holy trinity of Cajun cooking—onion, bell pepper, and celery—adds a solid foundation that rounds everything out.A little cayenne goes a long way, and it’s better to start light and add more later.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Crawfish tails
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 cup Bell Pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup Celery chopped
- 1/4 cup Green Onion chopped
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 3 cups Seafood Stock
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tbsp Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Start by melting 1/2 cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add in 1/2 cup of flour slowly, stirring continuously to create a roux.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the roux until it turns a deep, mahogany color.
- This process can take about 20-30 minutes, but patience will reward you with a rich base.
- Add the chopped bell pepper, celery, and garlic to your roux.
- Stir everything together and sauté these veggies until they become translucent.
- Pour in 3 cups of seafood stock gradually while stirring to combine it properly with the vegetables and roux.
- Add the bay leaf, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to the mix.
- Stir in the crawfish tails and chopped green onions, letting everything simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- The etouffee should thicken nicely and develop a full flavor.