Shrimp Etouffee

This is one of my favorite dishes of all time. Etouffee is a Cajun dish that's similar to gumbo. It's made with shellfish and served over rice. My version is pretty spicy, not off the charts spicy, but if you think Tabasco or jalapenos are hot then you might want to scale back the spices by half or more. It's not hard to make, but there are quite a few steps so that you get the right consistency without overcooking the vegetables or the shrimp.




The ingredients (minus rice) are below. You don't need a ginormous bottle of beer like I have; the recipe only calls for a 1/2 cup.

The first step in this recipe is to make a roux, which is a cooked paste of butter and flour. Don't go any higher than medium heat and keep stirring. You're also going to want to use a stainless steel or cast iron pan. Here's what it should look like when you're done:

Then add the garlic and veggies and cook a couple of minutes. Then add the spices and cook 5 minutes more:

Then add the broth and beer and simmer 5 minutes. Then add the shrimp and simmer 5 minutes more. By the time the shrimp are cooked the etouffee should be the consistency of a thick stew:

If you want it a bit thicker, turn the heat down so you don't overcook the shrimp and let it reduce a little further. Serve over hot rice with some beer and a crusty bread!

 Extreme close-up:

Shrimp Etouffee
Serves 6
(Adapted from Denise!'s recipe)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper (I usually use all green or 1/2 green 1/2 red)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs uncooked shrimp, shelled
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dark beer
2 Tbsp parsley flakes (or 1/4 cup fresh)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
15 shakes of Tabasco
4 1/2  cups cooked rice

Directions

1. Make the roux. Melt the butter over medium heat in a pan with deep sides. Add the flour and stir constantly until the roux is a dark brown (about the color of milk chocolate). This step only takes about 5 minutes for me, but may take longer.

2. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and cook about 2 minutes. (This will give you veggies that are still slightly crisp. If you prefer tender veggies add a few more minutes of cooking time here).

3. Add all the spices (if your using fresh parsley add it later, dried can go in now). Cook 5 more minutes.

4. Add beer and chicken broth and cook another 5 minutes.  

5. Add shrimp (and fresh parsley if using) and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve over cooked rice with more beer and a crusty bread.