Justin Wilson's Crawfish Etouffee

Louisiana crawfish tails smothered in a buttery blond-roux gravy and served over rice.

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups seafood or chicken stock
• 2 lb peeled crawfish tails with their fat
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet, whisk in the flour, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the roux is a light peanut-butter color, about 5 minutes.
2. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; cook until very soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, then slowly add the stock and wine, stirring until smooth and thickened.
4. Add the crawfish tails with their fat and season with hot sauce, salt, cayenne, and black pepper.
5. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors marry; do not boil hard or the crawfish will toughen.
6. Stir in green onions and parsley. Serve over hot rice.

Notes

Adapted from Justin Wilson’s crawfish etouffee. Shrimp may be substituted off-season.