Crawfish Etouffee

Method

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery and green pepper, cooking for 5 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to create a roux. Add the tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper and stir well, then gradually pour in the crawfish stock whilst stirring to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaves, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, then carefully fold in the crawfish tails and cook for a further 5-7 minutes until heated through, being careful not to overcook the delicate meat. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice, garnished with fresh spring onions.