• ¼ cup peanut oil
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ½ medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ cups bottled clam juice
• 2 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
• 3 scallions (part of green tops included), chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 pound frozen peeled crawfish tails (or small fresh shrimp), peeled and deveined
• 4 cups cooked rice

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over high heat till it begins to smoke, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and, whisking briskly and constantly, cook till the roux is reddish brown and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. (Do not let it burn.)

Remove the pan from the heat, add the onion, bell pepper, celery, tomato, and garlic and stir till well blended. Return the pan to the heat, reduce the heat to low, and gradually add the clam juice, stirring. Add the butter, basil, scallions, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice, stir well, and simmer till the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the crawfish, stir, and cook about 10 minutes longer or till the crawfish are pink and tender.

To serve, mound equal amounts of rice in the middle of 4 serving plates and spoon the crawfish mixture around the rice.