When I visit New Orleans I always look forward to the wonderful cuisine. From Gumbo, Jambalaya or Shrimp Étouffée the food is just simply delicious. Cajun/Creole dishes are rich with flavor and often times a nice kick of just enough heat. Over the years, I have adopted my own recipes for all of my Louisiana favorites and today I will share my Shrimp Étouffée Recipe.
Shrimp Étouffée is a dish that is a staple of Creole cuisine. Shrimp Étouffée is made with shrimp, tomatoes and spices. And no Louisiana staple is complete without the holy trinity: onion, celery and bell pepper. It is cooked until the sauce is thickened and served over rice.
Shrimp Étouffée is thought to have originated in Louisiana in the early 1800s. The word “étouffée” comes from the French word “étouffer,” which means “to smother.” This is a reference to the fact that the shrimp are cooked in a thick sauce that smothers them.
How to Make Shrimp Etouffee
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Step 1: Ingredients
Ingredients for Shrimp Etouffee:
Shrimp, Seafood Stock, All-Purpose Flour, Butter, Onion, Celery, Green Bell Pepper, Garlic, Scallion, Chopped Parsley, Diced Tomatoes, Bay Leaf, Worcestershire Sauce, Hot Sauce, Creole Seasoning, Thyme, Black Pepper and Salt.
Step 2: Cook the Shrimp
Melt one tablespoon of butter in a Dutch Oven then sauté the shrimp for one minute, remove them from the pot and set them aside until later.
Step 3: Make the Roux
In the same pot melt the remaining four tablespoons of butter then add the flour to create a roux. Continue mixing until your roux has a rich caramel color.
Step 4: Make the Gravy for the Shrimp Étouffée
- Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and sauté for three minutes. Next add the garlic and diced tomatoes.
Add the seafood stock and bring to a light boil. Next, add in the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, creole seasoning, thyme, black pepper and salt. Place the bay leaf in the pot then cover and cook for twenty-five minutes.
After twenty-five minutes reduce the heat then add the parsley and scallions and simmer for an additional ten minutes.
Shrimp Étouffée Recipe
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
1 lb Shrimp
32oz Seafood Stock
4 Tbsps All-Purpose Flour
5 Tbsps Butter
1 sm Onion
3 stalks Celery
½ Green Bell Pepper
4 cloves Garlic
1 Scallion
¼ Cup Chopped Parsley
114oz Diced Tomatoes
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp Creole Seasoning
½ tsp Thyme
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
Directions
- Melt one tablespoon of butter in a Dutch Oven.
- Sauté the shrimp for one minute then remove them from the pot and set them aside until later.
- In the same pot melt the remaining four tablespoons of butter then add the flour to create a roux. Continue mixing until your roux has a rich caramel color.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and sauté for three minutes.
- Next add the garlic and diced tomatoes.
- Add the seafood stock and bring to a light boil.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, creole seasoning, thyme, black pepper and salt.
- Add the bay leaf cover and cook for twenty-five minutes.
- After twenty-five minutes reduce the heat then add the parsley and scallions and simmer for an additional ten minutes.
- After ten minutes return the shrimp to the pot and simmer for an additional three to four minutes before serving.
