Crawfish Season & Sunday

Well it's Winter here in CenLA and on this dreary Sunday, it's cold and rainy. Not a slamming rain, but one of those Winter rains that drips and falls slowly from the heavens and the Oak branches as if each droplet is in slow-mo. A good day for comfort, period. So after church it's time to begin a bit of pampering. First of all, Sunday dinner should always be special. Afterward add a soft pillow and a cozy blanket to a recliner for an afternoon of football playoffs. I'll take it. But first, let's cook.

How about some Crawfish Etouffee? How comforting is that? And maybe served over creamy grits. Grits?! Yes indeed! Shrimp and Grits is a favorite around here, why not go for a savory, saucy ladle of Crawfish Etouffee adorning a puddle of grits. Delicious, let me tell you.

Crawfish Etouffee

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound Crawfish tails

Chicken stock (amount varies)

2 - 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 lemon, juiced

Louisiana hot sauce (to taste)

Parsley (dried or fresh, to taste)

3 or 4 green onions, chopped

Salt

Black pepper

Prepared grits

Add butter and olive oil to a cast iron pot and when the butter is melted, add onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook on medium high heat until the veggies are softened. Add the garlic and stir into the the trinity; cook for a minute or so. Add the flour and mix to incorporate. Cook until the rawness of the flour is gone and the bottom of the pot begins to brown slightly. Add the crawfish and stir. Pour in about 1-1/2 cups chicken stock and stir well. Add more stock to make a rather thin sauce. Drizzle in Worcestershire, lemon juice, Louisiana hot sauce and stir to blend. Add parsley, green onions, and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Stir well and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce thickens to desired consistency.

Serve over grits.

Butter and EVOO in my favorite Staub cast iron pot

Steamy Louisiana trinity in the pot

Trinity has softened ~ Adding flour

Fond ready for de-glazing ~ I ♥ fond

Buy Louisiana when you buy seafood

Crawdaddy's in the pot

Cooking low and slow