A l'Etouffée is the French word which means "smothered" and used to refer to stewed dishes generally cooked slowly in a sealed pot with few water, especially of peas Likewise, A l'Etouffée refers to a thick and spicy Cajun stew made from crayfish and varieties of vegetables which is served with rice. A l'Etouffée is ronounced "ah leh-too-fay"