Ralph and Kacoo's Crawfish Etouffee

Ingredients

• 2 pounds crawfish tails
• 1 cup oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup garlic, mashed and finely minced
• 2/3 cup chopped green peppers
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 can chicken broth
• 3 cup water
• 2 chicken flavored bouillon cubes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon fancy paprika

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, make roux by stirring oil and flour over slow to medium heat. When roux reaches peanut butter color, add chopped onions, celery, garlic and green peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. In another skillet (small) melt butter and add tomato paste. Sauté paste in butter until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes, and then mix with roux.
3. Pour in broth, water with melted bouillon cubes and balance of seasonings. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. Add crawfish tails 5 minutes before serving.
5. Serve with rice.