Crawfish Stew-Fay (Etouffee)

Soups & Stews

 Recipe courtesy of Marcelle Bienvenue

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients: 

This recipe was credited to Donald Link accidentally; it is actually a recipe developed by Marcelle Vienvenue's mother. Per Marcelle: 

This is a classic etouffee (etouffee means to smother in French) from south Louisiana.  It’s called a stew-fay simply because of the slurry (a combination of water and flour) that’s added to thicken it up a bit.  My mother was of the opinion that if you used a roux, then it became a roux. This is her recipe.

  • 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 pounds peeled crawfish tails
  • 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
  • Salt and cayenne to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • salt and cayenne pepper to taste
  • Cooked long-grain rice

Chef's note: This is a classic etouffee from South Louisiana.  It’s called a stew-fay simply because of the slurry (a combination of water and cornstarch) that’s added to thicken it up a bit. 

Crawfish Stew-Fay (Etouffee)

Crawfish Stew-Fay (Etouffee)

Click image to enlarge

Method: 

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large, heavy pot. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add the crawfish (rinse the bag with a little water to remove fat and add to the pot) and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to throw off a little liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the flour or cornstarch mixture; reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne. 

Remove from the heat. Add the green onions and parsley. Serve in bowls over rice.


 

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