CRAWFISH ÉTOUFFÉE "The Way Mom Did It "

   





    Now that we have caught up with our shows until the fall rolls around I have more time to share with you some of my favorite recipes.  I think today we will do a crawfish étouffée while they are still in season and we can buy them fresh.   

     
       Crawfish are highly saught after in south Louisiana and is one of Louisianas most unique crops.
Crawfish are freshwater crustaceans and Louisiana has more than 30 different species.  (More information can be found at http://www.crawfish.org ) 

       Farmers start catching crawfish somewhere around January and continue through April and May.  Most crawfish farmers are actually rice growers but in the off season it makes good sense to flood there fields and set out crawfish traps and harvest one of the most craved items during the spring.  Louisiana leads the nation in the crawfish industry  producing more than 90% of the domestic crop.

     Growing up I remember when there was only a few private ponds where we could go and catch crawfish for like 25 cents a pound or split what you would catch with the farmer.  Not having much money growing up this methord worked perfect for us, we would always leave half and take our share home for a crawfish boil.

What was left over, if any, momma would peel and make an étouffée.  Oh I can still smell her sauteing those onions and tomatos in butter.  She used fresh tomatoes from the garden and homemade butter.   Believe me that was a real treat compared to the usual cornbread and milk 3 or 4 nights a week.
     
Crawfish, like everything else is not cheap.  I just paid $10.00 a pound and that is down from $14.95 just a couple of weeks ago. 

     The following recipe is the way my mom use to make it except for the fresh tomatoes and homemade butter. 

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Crawfish Etouffee Recipe

2 lbs. fresh crawfish tails peeled with fat

1 large onion, finely chopped 
1/4 bell peppers, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 8oz. can cream of mushroom soup 
1 8oz. can good quality tomato sauce 
1 cup fresh green onion chopped
3/4 stick butter
2 cloves of garlic (unless your seasoning mix has garlic) 
Cajun Seasoning (Camp Dog original works well, has garlic)
cooked white rice

    1)  Empty crawfish into a large bowl (do not rinse, keep fat on) season well and add parsley flakes.  Mix it all up and let it stand while you prepare the sauce.

    2)  Melt butter or margarine at low heat in a medium size aluminum pot.

    3)  Add onions, bell pepper and green onions. Sauté slowly at very low heat until onions are transparent. 

    4)  Add tomato sauce, stirring frequently to prevent sticking for about 15 minutes.

    5)  Add seasoned crawfish tails. Cover and cook on low to medium heat for another 10 minutes stirring  frequently, (do not let hard boil)   

     6)  Add cream of mushroom soup, stir and cook covered for another 15 minutes.

 
  7)  Serve over hot cooked white rice.

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We certainly hope that you enjoy our recipe and try our products 

Thanks,

Papa Scott

www.campdogcajunseasoning.com