Crawfish Étouffée

Method

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook the onion, celery and pepper (the holy trinity) over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened and beginning to colour. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle flour over and stir constantly for 3 minutes to create a roux, cooking out the raw flour taste. Pour in passata and fish stock, stirring well to avoid lumps, then add tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, paprika, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer for 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavours to meld. Add crawfish tails and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until just cooked through, then season with salt and pepper. Serve over fluffy white rice with a scatter of fresh spring onions.