Shrimp Etouffee

Unfortunately, this is another picture-less post.  Take it from me, though, this dish was colorful and tempting-looking.

As a former NOLA (that’s New Orleans, Louisiana) gal, I cooked this way back on Fat Tuesday.  Though my Fat Tuesday diet in New Orleans consisted of a Tequila Sunrise at The Boot, a few Bloody Mary’s at Igor’s, and whatever takeout I could find open between our parade camp out for Zulu and my bed, I figured I needed to do tribute to my college town on a day I had some time to cook.

I must say, I was really happy with the outcome of this dish.  I’ve eaten quite a bit of etouffee in my day (crawfish, shrimp, crab, alligator, chicken), and I think this stacks up with some of the best of them.  My favorite is crawfish etouffee due to the fact that they are small enough to comprise of a succulent surprise in each bite, but crawfish, unfortunately, are not readily available in February in Cleveland.  And if they are, please comment and let me know, because I’ve yet to find them.  This dish had an excellent balance of freshness from the parsley and lemon, spice from the creole seasoning, and savory deliciousness from the homemade shrimp stock, bay leaf, and shrimp itself.  The vegetables added color and texture, resulting in a satisfying and relatively quick dish that is equally appropriate for a special occasion and a fast week night meal.

Shrimp Etouffee

Adapted from Emeril

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1 tbs. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbs. creole seasoning of choice (for example, Zatarain’s, Tony Chacere’s – I used a recipe from the Uglesich’s cookbook)

1 cup shrimp stock (see below)

1/2 pound shell-on shrimp, peeled with shells reserved for shrimp stock (see below)

1/2 lemon, juiced

3 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Slowly add the flour, while whisking, to form a roux.  Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring 20-25 minutes until the roux is about a deep golden brown, about the color of peanut butter.  Add onions, celery, bell pepper, green onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the shrimp stock and peeled shrimp and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thickened and shrimp are cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and parsley.

Remove from heat and serve over white rice.

Shrimp Stock:

Shells from 1/2 lb. shell-on shrimp, reserved from above

1/2 lemon

1/2 cup fresh parsley stems and leaves, roughly chopped

2-3 stalks celery, with leaves, quartered

1 carrot, cut into 2-3 pieces

1/4 large red onion, quartered

1 tbs. whole black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

Add all ingredients to a large pot.  Cover with water and cook over very low heat for at least five hours.  Strain.