Crawfish Creole

1 1/2 sticks butter
2 sm. cans tomato paste
2 tbsp. flour
3 onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 lbs. crawfish tails
1 tbsp. sugar


Melt butter and add tomato paste. Brown tomato paste, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over tomato paste and brown. Add chopped vegetables and cook until wilted. Add water just enough for a thick gravy the crawfish will thin it out a little. Add sugar and season to taste with red pepper, black pepper and salt. Let the gravy simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Add crawfish tails and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot rice.