Tag: shrimp etouffee

Homemade Shrimp Étouffée

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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One of a Kind Shrimp Etouffee Recipe

 

This Shrimp Etouffee dish may not be the simplest or easiest recipe you come across but it is oh so enjoyable. As stated in the original recipe which can be found here, this is a “Juicy shrimp dish smothered in rich and flavorful roux sauce made with rich authentic southern flavors and an incredibly delicious taste.” We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.

So save this one for a beautiful Saturday or Sunday afternoon and surprise the whole family with this hearty dish!

Ingredients

  • 2tablespoon canola oil
  • ¼cup flour
  • 2Tablespoons butter
  • ½cup green bell pepper diced
  • ½medium onion diced
  • 1/3cup chopped celery (about 1-2 sticks)
  • 2teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1teaspoons thyme fresh or dried
  • 1bay leaf
  • 1cup chopped tomatoes
  • 2teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • ½teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2cups Shrimp stock (sub with water)
  • 1pound shrimp (peeled and deveined) reserve shrimp shells
  • 2-3Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2green onions chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Hot sauce optional

Instructions

Shrimp Stock

  1. Add a teaspoon or 2 of butter or oil to a sauce pan or skillet. Then throw in shrimp shells, the remaining scraps of onion, garlic, celery together with aromatics like bay leaf and thyme.  Saute for about 5 -7 minutes, stirring constantly, to prevent any burns.    Add about 5 cups of water to it.
  2. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes
  3. Remove from heat and strain using a sieve. Set stock aside.

Etouffee

  1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan combine melted butter, oil and flour until smooth.
  2. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, for about 10-12 minutes, until you have achieved desired color.  Don’t walk away from the stove during this process. It might burn.
  3. Add the onion, green pepper and celery and cook for 8- 10 minutes –stirring frequently.
  4. Then add, garlic, thyme and bay leaf – continue stirring about 2 minutes.
  5. Next throw in about 1 cup chopped tomatoes, worcheshire sauce, paprika and creole seasoning and let it cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Gradually pour in about 2 cups of shrimp stock, bring to a boil and let it simmer .Add the shrimp, simmer for 5 more minutes. Or you may season the shrimp with creole seasoning, saute for about 5 minutes. Then throw it in at the last minute. You’ve got two options here – both work.
  7. Adjust thickness soup and flavor with more shrimp broth or water, hot sauce and salt.
  8. Stir in, green onions, and chopped parsley.
  9. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recipe Notes

  • Comparable to Gumbo and Jambalaya. Made with Southern holy trinity and the roux is not as dark as the gumbo.