Shrimp Etouffee

In celebration of Mardi Gras we cooked Shrimp Etouffee with a roux and it was the crown jewel of our feast! 

Etouffee is a spicy Cajun vegetable and seafood stew. What’s not to love about succulent shrimp, toasty roux, creole seasoning and hot sauce?  It is, however, subject to endless debate.  Roux or no roux, tomato or no tomato.  

The roux is the flavor base and it takes time and a lot of stirring, but it’s well worth the effort.  

Shrimp Etouffee

2 ounces butter

2 ounces all –purpose flour

4 oz onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz green bell pepper, diced

3 oz celery, diced

1 medium tomato, grated

2 tablespoons seafood seasoning

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup fish stock or clam juice

2 tablespoons Louisiana style hot sauce

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound medium peeled and deveined shrimp

Heat butter in a medium heavy bottom sauté pan over medium-high heat until it is melted.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the flour gradually with a wooden spoon.  Continue stirring constantly until the roux is fragrant and brown like the color of peanut butter.

Add the onions, garlic, green bell pepper and celery to the roux and cook covered until the vegetables have softened.  Stir in the grated tomatoes, seafood seasoning, black pepper and fish stock.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the hot sauce, cayenne pepper and shrimp.  Cook the shrimp for about 7-10 minutes or until they are cooked through.

Serve with rice.