Crawfish Etouffee`

Crawfish Etouffee`
3/4 cup Cooking Oil
3/4 cup Flour (all-purpose)
1 chopped Onion
1/4 cup chopped Celery
1 clove Garlic
1 chopped Green Pepper
1/4 cup Butter
1 can Tomato Paste
3 cups Water
2 Chicken boullion cubes
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp (optional) Tabasco sauce
1 tsp Paprika
2 pounds Crawfish Tails

Cook roux from oil and flour in microwave. (Put oil and flour in microwave safe bowl. We like to use 8 qt Pyrex measuring cup. Stir. Cook on High 2 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking for 1 minute intervals and stirring until roux is the color of a penny. CAUTION: ROUX IS VERY HOT!) Immediately add onion, celery, garlic, and green pepper and stir. Vegetables will cook in the hot roux. 


In a small skillet, melt butter and then add tomato paste.  Saute paste in butter until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Combine paste mixture and roux in dutch oven. Pour in broth (water with melted bouillon cubes) and add balance of seasonings. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Add crawfish tails 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice.