For years and years, I’ve kept a to-do list of classic dishes I want to try, and that brings us to this recipe. Finally! This is my version of shrimp étouffée! Now, you may ask “what is shrimp étouffée?”
Well, roughly translated, it means “smothered shrimp.” It’s a classic Louisiana dish, rich and saucy and spicy, tomato based, typically served over rice. Very often made with crawfish, but shrimp are easier to find, so here we are.
When I first started my search for a recipe that was classic and authentic, I immediately learned that it needed to start with a roux, (pronounced RUE) which is a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked until it’s light brown and nutty. It also includes the so called “holy trinity” of aromatics, which is celery, onions, and bell peppers. It came together in no time and was SO flavorful, I can’t even tell you. Of course, I served it over rice and it was AMAZING. I kept thinking “why did it take me so long to try this?’ I also thought this would be an impressive dish to serve guests because it tastes as fancy as it sounds. LOVE IT.
Of course, there are a million versions, all authentic in their own right, but this is mine. If you like a spicy seafood stew, you need to give this one a try!!
When I first started my search for a recipe that was classic and authentic, I immediately learned that it needed to start with a roux, (pronounced RUE) which is a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked until it’s light brown and nutty. It also includes the so called “holy trinity” of aromatics, which is celery, onions, and bell peppers. It came together in no time and was SO flavorful, I can’t even tell you. Of course, I served it over rice and it was AMAZING. I kept thinking “why did it take me so long to try this?’ I also thought this would be an impressive dish to serve guests because it tastes as fancy as it sounds. LOVE IT.
Of course, there are a million versions, all authentic in their own right, but this is mine. If you like a spicy seafood stew, you need to give this one a try!!
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 or 5 ribs of celery, chopped
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken or seafood stock
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp EACH: salt, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano, smoked paprika, Old Bay seasoning
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of cayenne pepper
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce
1 lb fresh or frozen shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed
In a large sauce pan, add the flour and oil over medium heat. Using a whisk, stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until it turns the color of peanut butter. Now add your chopped onions, peppers, and celery. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, and continue to stir and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften. Now add the tomatoes, stock, and garlic, then add the remaining ingredients, except the shrimp. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. (Now would be a good time to start cooking your rice.) After about 10 minutes, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings, if needed. Add the shrimp and give everything a good stir. Continue to simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through. About 3 or 4 minutes, depending on their size. (Don't overcook!) Serve immediately over cooked rice. Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley or scallions, if desired.
Tips:
Although this recipe has some wiggle room when it comes to the spices, the one thing you don’t want to skip is the roux. You can use butter instead of oil, but either way, just let it cook until it’s a nutty brown, somewhere around the color of peanut butter. You can go a little darker, closer to the color of a tarnished penny, but I wouldn’t go any darker than that. You definitely don’t want it to burn. Just as when making home made caramel, it can go from golden to burnt very quickly. So keep an eye on it. Also it's best to have your chopped veggies ready before you start. Btw, I added lots of extra celery, WHY? because I like it!
When simmering your sauce, if it starts to get too thick, just add a little water or some more stock.
As for the spice levels, it’s meant to have some degree of heat, but you do you. I like just a little warm heat, but if you'd like it to burn your face off, who am I to stop you? Also, I included all three.. the crushed red, the cayenne, and the Tabasco, because I think they all hit differently. Use as much or as little as you want, or completely omit them. Up to you!
Oh.. one other thing… instead of using this list of seasonings, you can just use about a tbs of a Cajun seasoning blend, but I didn’t see the need to buy it since I already had all the individual seasonings on hand.
Although this recipe has some wiggle room when it comes to the spices, the one thing you don’t want to skip is the roux. You can use butter instead of oil, but either way, just let it cook until it’s a nutty brown, somewhere around the color of peanut butter. You can go a little darker, closer to the color of a tarnished penny, but I wouldn’t go any darker than that. You definitely don’t want it to burn. Just as when making home made caramel, it can go from golden to burnt very quickly. So keep an eye on it. Also it's best to have your chopped veggies ready before you start. Btw, I added lots of extra celery, WHY? because I like it!
When simmering your sauce, if it starts to get too thick, just add a little water or some more stock.
As for the spice levels, it’s meant to have some degree of heat, but you do you. I like just a little warm heat, but if you'd like it to burn your face off, who am I to stop you? Also, I included all three.. the crushed red, the cayenne, and the Tabasco, because I think they all hit differently. Use as much or as little as you want, or completely omit them. Up to you!
Oh.. one other thing… instead of using this list of seasonings, you can just use about a tbs of a Cajun seasoning blend, but I didn’t see the need to buy it since I already had all the individual seasonings on hand.
