Shrimp Étouffée Recipe

Shrimp Étouffée Recipe

2 1/2-3 pounds medium shrimp (51-60 count), peeled, deveined and tails off 

2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, 2 total tablespoons throughout recipe, 1 tablespoon for seasoning the shrimp and 1 tablespoon for seasoning the roux

1 cup diced yellow or sweet onion

3/4 cup diced celery

1/2 cup finely-diced green bell pepper

2 large garlic cloves, run through a garlic press

7 tablespoons unsalted butter 

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups shrimp stock, (canned seafood stock may be substituted

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 fresh bay leaves, or 3-4 dried bay leaves

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Louisiana Gold hot sauce, more or less, to taste

6 cups of cooked or steamed white rice 

minced fresh parsley and/or parsley sprigs, for garnish

~ Step 1. Prepare the shrimp stock by boiling your shrimp hulls/shells and set aside. Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Creole seasoning and set aside. Prep the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic and set aside. Prepare the rice as directed or your favorite way, and set aside.

Things are ready to rock and roll:

~ Step 2. In 12" skillet, melt butter over low heat, increase to medium, add flour and whisk until the color of peanut butter...

~ Step 3. this will take 3-4 minutes depending upon the heat of your stove. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning to the roux. Using a large spoon, stir to form a paste. 

~ Step 4. Adjust the heat to medium and add some hot shrimp stock, 1/2 cup at a time until 2 cups of total stock has been added, allowing the mixture to thicken each time you add the stock. This will only take 20-30 seconds after each addition. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for about 30-60 more seconds. The mixture should look like gravy, not too thick and not too thin. Stir in the bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.

~ Step 5. Add the last 1 cup of shrimp stock. 

Adjust heat to a gentle, but steady simmer and continue to simmer until the mixture is once again thickened to the consistency of gravy and reduced by about one-third, about 25-35 minutes.

Optional Note. At this point turn the heat off, place a lid on the skillet and allow the mixture to steep for 1-2 hours. Besides the obvious benefit of better flavor, this also gives you the opportunity to prepare etoufee in advance of serving, 

~ Step 6. Add the seasoned shrimp to the gently simmering sauce. Continue to cook until pink and just cooked through. In the case of medium-shrimp, this will take about 4-5 minutes.

Note: Some folks like larger shrimp, but, in our family, we prefer them slightly smaller (not too small), just bite-sized, succulent shrimp in each and every last bite of our etouffee!

~ Step 7. Make a bed of rice on each plate. Smother rice with etouffee. Top with a bit more rice and some minced parsley!

Photo Collage made by Crazy Cajun Living only for a quick visual of the recipe http://kitchenencounters.typepad.com/blog/2013/05/index.html