This is a Louisiana favorite and a wonderful dish for company you can do-ahead. I've come up with this recipe after much experimentation and "tasting" in New Orleans.     FYI "etouffee" means stewed, in French.

PEGGY'S CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

Chop the following veggies & set by the stove at the ready:

1 c. onion

1 c. celery

1 c. green bell pepper

Make your roux (flavor enhancer and thickener for all cajun dishes)

You're about to make the most essential part of any cajun dish, the "roux".  Don't wear your good clothes to do this step, as it could splatter.  And I warn you, this will get VERY HOT, so be careful.  Using a wisk, on high heat, bring the ¼ c. oil and ¼c. flour  to bubbling hot, stirring constantly with wisk.  DO NOT STOP STIRRING or it will scorch and you'll have to start all over.  You want to continue to cook the roux on high until it has turned the color of rust brown (if you get to Hershey's dark chocolate color, you've gone too far and need to throw it out & begin again).  When you reach the rust brown color,  immediately dump in all the chopped veggies to "cool down" the heat instantly and add a stick of real butter.  Reduce to medium heat and continue to saute the veggies until tender. 

When veggies are tender, add the following to the skillet:

l lb. package peeled cooked crawfish tails (most grocieries have them) with juices in the bag

4 ch. Roma tomatoes

3 cloves minced garlic

1½ c. seafood stock or chicken stock

½ c. ch. green onions

4 T. ch. parsley

few drops Tabasco

¼ tsp cayenne pepper or Emeril's Seafood Essence

salt & pepper

Cover with lid & simmer gently for about an hour on very low heat.  This is usually thick enough as is, but if not, dust lightly with corn starch, flour or I use Xanthan gum or Guar gum (calorieless thickeners) and simmer a couple minutes longer to thicken.  Serve over rice with crusty French bread and a good salad.  Cajuns often eat this like a soup with only a bit of rice in the center of the bowl.