A year-round culinary staple in the South is a freshly-prepared bowl of shrimp étouffée, and whether you’re enjoying it on a Friday afternoon during Lent or surrounded by guests at a Saturday night dinner table, the delicious tastes and accompanying aroma of a classically cajun serving of shrimp étouffée are always appreciated. Thanks to this tried-and-true shrimp étouffée recipe from Little Spice Jar that features the authentic addition of homemade roux and shrimp stock, you’ll be all set to enjoy this culinary staple of the south.

Ingredients

2 pounds of fresh shrimp, peeled

Homemade stovetop roux

1.5 tablespoons of cold butter

1 large onion, minced

2 green bell peppers, minced

2 large celery ribs, minced

3-5 sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme

5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

5 bay leaves

Tabasco hot sauce, to taste

2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning

Peppercorns & salt

Recipe

Shrimp Stock

1. While you’re more than welcome to use store-bought seafood stock for this recipe, it’s certainly elated by preparing your own stock with the discarded shells of the shrimp you’ve peeled for the étouffée. To make the stock, simply combine the shells of at least 2 pounds of shrimp with 3 cups of water, a few sprigs of parsley, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 cloves of garlic, a few peppercorns, and a sprinkle of salt.
2. Combine the above ingredients in a large stockpot, letting it all simmer for 30-45 minutes. Strain the contents, and you’re set!

Stovetop Roux

1. The roux is the heart and soul of any proper étouffée or gumbo recipe, and though it’s slightly intimidating at first, it can truly make-or-break your meal if done correctly. For this meal, start by heating a “high heat oil” such as peanut, corn, or vegetable oil or butter in your heavy bottom pot and add in your flour, whisking it until all lumps have been worked out.
2. From here on out, it’s 22-27 minutes of constant stirring. In the beginning four minutes, you’ll begin to see a blond roux, which is used for béchamel sauces transition into a slightly colorful roux at the five-minute mark. At this point, it’ll be akin to a cream color.
3. At about 10 minutes of stirring, the roux reaches a color that is similar to light almond butter as it begins to smell like buttered popcorn to some people.
4. At about 15-22 minutes is when the roux begins to retain the color of peanut butter, and many cooking an étouffée will make the mistake of stopping here as this type of roux will still retain ample thickening qualities, but a darker roux is needed in this case.
5. Within the 23-37 minute mark is what this recipe’s author calls the “magic spot” with the roux showing a deep brown coloration with a slight red undertone. While it’s possible to continue cooking until the 28-34 minute mark and make what’s called a “black roux,” you often run the risk of burning your roux, and as any cajun chef who makes their roux by hand can agree, you don’t want to start the process over again.

Shrimp Étouffée

1. To transition into the cooking of the actual étouffée, you’ll pour in your Cajun and Creole “holy trinity,” which is your minced onions, bell peppers, and celery into the heavy pot with your roux. Stir it all together and add in your garlic to simmer for about 30 seconds.
2. Add in your shrimp stock, cajun seasonings, dashes of Tabasco sauce, and bay leaves. Stir it all together, making sure that you carefully submerge the bay leaves so as to not break them up in the étouffée, and bring this all to a boil. After it reaches a proper boil, lower your heat to low and allow the étouffée to simmer for just about 15 minutes.
3. Next, you’ll add your peeled shrimp into the pot and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. At this point, when the shrimp is cooked your étouffée is officially “done,” but it definitely benefits from simmering in the pot on low for at least 10-20 minutes as you prepare the side dishes, salad, and shrimp étouffée’s partner in crime, the potato salad.
4. Before you’re ready to serve, turn off the heat and add in a knob of cold butter so as to help thicken up the étouffée after the flour in your homemade roux has come to lose its thickening capabilities in becoming a darker roux. The cold butter in the hot liquid of the étouffée helps to thicken the dish while also adding an appreciated hint of creaminess.

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