Crawfish Etouffee - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 stick margarine
1 Tbsp. roux (optional)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 to 1 can (soup can) water
2 lb. clean crawfish tails (fresh or frozen)
Creole seasoning to taste
2 to 3 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. ketchup

Preparation

Saute onions and celery in margarine; add roux.
Mix thoroughly.
Add tomato paste and mix well, cooking 5 minutes.
Add cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 can water.
Heat and add more water if too thick (remember the crawfish will create water also.
Cook about 15 to 20 minutes at a slow simmer.
Add crawfish tails. Simmer about 25 to 30 minutes.
Do not boil.
Add ketchup and lemon juice and simmer.
Adjust Creole seasoning to taste while simmering about 20 minutes.
Cooking time approximately 1 hour.
Serve over cooked rice.