You may have read in previous posts about my Cajun heritage and love for Louisiana cooking. If so, you’ll understand that after eating Cajun cuisine outside of the state of Louisiana for years, I’ve often been disappointed with the inauthentic fare dished out of kitchens here in Florida. And étouffée, which is arguably my favorite Cajun offering, has been one dish I’ve never completely been satisfied with unless I’ve eaten it in Louisiana.
That’s why I was stoked when I stumbled upon (and totally rocked) this recipe for shrimp étouffée last week. It’s packed with all that spicy, deep-flavored goodness – with the quality of shrimp being a key ingredient. I like my étouffée on the thicker side, so I didn’t add that much stock (maybe ¼ cup or so), and I served it atop Jasmine rice, but use whichever rice is your favorite.
If you too have a hankering for some good Cajun or Creole flavors, you might try these recipes for Mardis Gras Jambalaya, Chicken-Sausage Gumbo, or my Mamon’s Stuffed Artichokes.
Shrimp Étouffée
Serves 6
Adapted from The 100 Greatest Cajun Recipes
Ingredients
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 large onion, chopped (I used yellow onion)
½ cup celery, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (21-25’s)
½ cup of diced canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons flour, all purpose
¼ to 1 cup Seafood Stock or water (I only used about ¼ cup to ½ cup)
2/3 cup green onions, minced
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
Cooked white rice (I used Jasmine)
Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until the onions are limp and clear (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly.
Add the shrimp and tomatoes and then season with salt, black pepper, white pepper, Tabasco sauce and onion powder. Blend well and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the flour and blend in well, stirring constantly to prevent the flour from sticking to the skillet.
When the flour is blended well, cook it, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes. Slowly add the seafood stock, a little at a time, until the sauce is at the consistency of thick gravy. Reserve the unused stock for possible later use.
Let the dish cook for 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. About 3 minutes before the cooking process is complete, add the green onions and parsley. Stir in well and cook for the remaining 3 minutes. Adjust the liquid if necessary by using the reserved stock and serve hot over cooked rice.
NOTE: You can use this same recipe to make Crawfish Étouffée by substituting 1 pound peeled crawfish tails for the shrimp. Or you could make Crab Étouffée by substituting 1 pound of all-lump crabmeat for the shrimp and red bell pepper instead of the green.
Order Envy 