ONIMA recipes

Cajun Crawfish Étouffée

Name: Cajun Crawfish Étouffée
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 2 pounds (900g) crab or crab shells; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine; 2 bay leaves; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; A few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley; 2 pounds peeled crawfish tails; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick); 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 3 scallions (white and light green only), thinly sliced; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon Cajun Sumac hot sauce (plus more for garnish); 3 to 3 1/2 cups crab stock, more as needed; 2 bay leaves; Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste; Cooked long-grain rice, for serving

By Tyler Mains

A rich, deeply flavorful Cajun-style Crawfish Étouffée made with homemade crab stock, a dark buttery roux, and finished with Cajun Sumac hot sauce.

Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the Crab Stock

2 pounds (900g) crab or crab shells
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
A few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley

For the Étouffée

2 pounds peeled crawfish tails
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 scallions (white and light green only), thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Cajun Sumac hot sauce (plus more for garnish)
3 to 3 1/2 cups crab stock, more as needed
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Cooked long-grain rice, for serving

Step by step

Make the Crab Stock

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add crab and salt and sauté for 5–6 minutes until fragrant. Stir in onion, celery, and garlic and cook until softened, without browning. Add tomato paste and cook until darkened slightly. Deglaze with sherry and reduce for 1–2 minutes. Add water to cover, then add herbs. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Strain and reserve the liquid.
Make the Roux

In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir continuously until it reaches a deep peanut butter or chocolate color, depending on preference (8–15 minutes).
Build the Base

Add diced onion, celery, and bell pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and scallions and cook for 1 minute more.
Season

Add dried oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, and Cajun Sumac hot sauce. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the Stock

Slowly add crab stock, one ladle at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finish

Stir in the crawfish and cook just until warmed through and opaque, about 3–5 minutes. If needed, thin with additional stock.
Serve

Spoon over warm rice and garnish with extra scallions and a few dashes of Cajun Sumac hot sauce.

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Ingredients	Preparation flow
2 pounds (900g) crab or crab shells	Sauté crab and salt in olive oil over medium heat, 5–6 minutes, until fragrant.	Soften onion, celery and garlic without browning; add tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened.	Deglaze with sherry and reduce 1–2 minutes. Cover with water, add herbs and simmer uncovered 1 hour. Strain; measure stock for the étouffée and reserve any extra. Amount for the next preparation3 to 3 1/2 cups crab stock, more as needed	Add the measured stock gradually, stirring between ladles. Add bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.	Add crawfish; cook 3–5 minutes, just until warm and opaque. Thin with reserved stock if needed.	Spoon over warm rice and garnish with scallions and Cajun Sumac.
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
A few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
Water to cover
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)	Melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour. Stir constantly for 8–15 minutes to a deep peanut-butter or chocolate color.	Soften onion, celery and pepper over medium-low heat, 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and scallions for 1 minute.	Add dried herbs, spices and Cajun Sumac. Stir about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 scallions (white and light green only), thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Cajun Sumac hot sauce (plus more for garnish)
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 pounds peeled crawfish tails
Cooked long-grain rice, for serving
Extra scallions and Cajun Sumac