Crawfish in Sauce (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Holy Trinity Base
01 -
1 yellow onion, cut into small cubes
02 -
1 green bell pepper, sliced into chunks
03 -
5 garlic cloves, minced finely
04 -
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
→ Roux and Sauce
05 -
4 cups of seafood stock or broth
06 -
12 tablespoons of butter, divided for cooking and roux
07 -
2 teaspoons of concentrated lobster paste (e.g., Better Than Bouillon)
08 -
½ cup plain flour to thicken
→ Seasonings
09 -
¼ teaspoon of smoked cayenne powder for a spicy kick
10 -
A sprinkle of thyme (about ¼ teaspoon dried)
11 -
1 teaspoon of bold Cajun spice mix
12 -
A dash of fresh black pepper (around ½ teaspoon)
13 -
¼ teaspoon of coarse kosher salt
→ Main and Garnish
14 -
4 cups of cooked rice or rich, creamy grits for serving
15 -
A pound of Louisiana crawfish tails
16 -
Hot sauce for extra heat, to taste
17 -
Green onions, chopped, to top it off
# Instructions:
01 -
Put 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a big, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the celery, green peppers, onions, and garlic. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until they’re soft and see-through. Put them in a separate bowl when done.
02 -
Drop the heat to low-medium. Toss in 8 tablespoons of butter and the flour, mixing nonstop with a whisk. Keep at it for 10-15 minutes, aiming for a peanut butter-like shade. If it seems to burn, lower the heat more.
03 -
Reduce the heat to low. Gradually pour in the seafood broth while whisking the mix until smooth. Add the sautéed veggies, seasonings, and lobster base. Let it simmer gently for around 10 minutes to thicken it, like a cozy gravy.
04 -
Toss in the crawfish tails and let them gently heat through. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning if needed.
05 -
Serve it over warm grits or rice. Sprinkle with chopped green onion. Offer hot sauce on the side to add extra heat.
# Notes:
01 -
For the best flavor, go for crawfish sourced from Louisiana.
02 -
If you can’t find seafood stock, substitute with vegetable or chicken broth.
03 -
This is a perfect make-ahead meal and reheats wonderfully.
04 -
You can freeze it for up to three months with no problem.