Crawfish Etouffee

Melt 3 tbsp butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once foaming subsides, add flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 8–10 minutes until the roux is a deep chocolate brown. Do not stop stirring or the flour will burn.

Add diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Stir constantly for 5 minutes until vegetables soften and release their moisture. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables. Add canned tomatoes with juice and vegetable broth, stirring to dissolve any browned bits stuck to the pot bottom.

Add paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.

Add crawfish tail meat and the remaining 1 tbsp butter, stirring gently to combine. Simmer for 3–4 minutes just until the crawfish is heated through; do not overcook or it will become tough. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and cayenne as needed.

Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Ladle etouffee over cooked rice and garnish with green onion and fresh parsley.