Shrimp Étouffée (Ay-Too- Fay)

Étouffée a quintessential Louisianan dish that is the epitome of Cajun or Creole cooking. This dish is made by smothering shellfish in a seasoned, fragrant gravy and is typically served over white rice. The foundation for this recipe is to make the perfect roux. Étouffée can be made with shrimp, lobster, crab, squid, garfish and fish balls. It can be used to smother pork chops, chicken, meat balls, even boiled eggs. In making my version of shrimp étouffée This recipe serves 4-6 people.

Course dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American fusion

Keyword cajun, Creole, etouffee, Gumbo, New Orleans, seafood, shrimp

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings Servings

Calories 319kcal

Author Dr. Wendy Dearborne

Equipment

Dutch oven or heavy bottom large pot
Wooden, metal or silicone cooking spoon
1 10-12 inch frying pan

Ingredients

1-1.5 lb extra jumbo shrimp peeled deveined and defrosted 16-20 per pound
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 large green pepper chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 cup chopped roma tomatoes
2 sprigs thyme
3 tbsp green onions chopped sperate the white bottoms and green tops
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp parsley chopped
2 large bay leaves
1 tbsp cajun seasoning salt free or creole
1 tsp salt kosher or to taste
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 cups seafood stock or chicken stock
2 tsp cooking high temperature

Roux

1/2 cup cooking oil high temperature corn, canola, avocado
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Instructions

Preparing

Mise en place: Have all aromatics and vegetables cut, and seasonings ready to cook.
Heat stock in a pot or in the microwave, until it just about boiling.
Season shrimp with 1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning, pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator.

Making the roux

To make the roux, heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add flour all at once to the heated oil. Stir well, making sure there are no clumps.
Reduce heat to medium low, and allow the oil and flour to cook. Stir frequently, every 10-20 seconds, until the roux has turned a peanut brown color; this should take about 12-15 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY WHILE COOKING YOUR ROUX! Depending on your cooker and the pot you are using, it could take up to 20-30 minutes to achieve the peanut brown color desired.

Creating the gravy

Add the Cajun "Holy Trinity" celery, bell pepper and onions to the hot roux. Along with the sprigs of fresh thyme and the white part of the green onions, and 1/4 tsp of salt.
Sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion and celery have softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, paprika, black pepper and tomatoes. Mix until well incorporated. Continue cooking for 3 minutes.
Add hot stock, 1/4 cup at a time to the pot, stirring with each addition. This will create a smooth and lump free gravy.
When all the stock is added to the pot, add the bay leaves. Then turn heat to high and bring the pot to a boil, stirring occasionally, Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Be sure to stir a couple of times. Check for seasoning and adjust.

Sauté the shrimp

Over high heat, add 2 tsp cooking oil into the frying pan. When oil shimmers, add the shrimp. Make sure each shrimp is touching the base of the frying pan. Cook for 20- 30 seconds to sear. Turn the shrimp over and sear the other side. Remove shrimp from the frying pan and set aside. Note: You are not cooking the shrimp, you are flash frying it. This creates a flavorful exterior on the shrimp that enhances the taste. Flash fried shrimp will be 70-80% cooked. It will cook the rest of the way in the gravy. This is one of the reasons why I use jumbo shrimp.

Putting it all together

Increase the heat of the dutch oven to medium high bringing it to a gentle boil. Add the seared shrimp and any accumulated juices, cayenne pepper and the parsley. Then cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp is hot, and cooked all the way through. DO NOT over cook the shrimp! Over cooked shrimp takes on an unpleasant tough and rubbery texture.
Serve over white rice and garnish with the green part of the spring onions.

Side Note: Making the gravy thicker

After the 15-20 minute simmer time, (before shrimp is added) if the gravy appears to be to thin and watery, ( I like a thicker gravy) remove the lid, increase heat to medium high, bring the pot to a boil and allow it to reduce to your desired thickness. Make sure to stir, scraping the bottom of the pot every 2-3 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust.

Notes

...and between me and you, I always use extra jumbo shrimp. They don't overcook as quickly as smaller shrimp, which is ideal for reheating...

The Roux

Roux, not only acts as a thickening agent, but it also adds a depth of complex flavor and color to your dish. It can be made with oil, lard, clarified butter, duck or chicken fat. The roux in this recipe is a Cajun or Creole style roux, using oil and flour. It's not a Beurre manié; equal parts of flour kneaded with softened butter. Or a butter and flour roux using 1:1 ratio.

Oil And Flour Ratios

The ratio of oil, or lard to flour is 1:1. Or equal parts. However, if you want a thicker roux, which is my personal preference, you can use more flour than oil. I use 1/2 cup oil 3/4 cups flour. So that is a 1:1.25 ratio.

Always use extreme caution when making roux. DO NOT GET IT ON YOUR SKIN OR PUT YOUR FINGERS INTO THE POT. It will cause very bad 3rd degree burns.

Don't leave the pot while making your roux it's guaranteed to burn. Burnt roux cannot be salvaged, and if used, it will result in an extremely bitter tasting gravy. If you burn your roux, toss it out and start over.

Burnt Roux

You'll know when your roux is burnt, by how it smells and the little black flecks that start to surface.

How Not To Burn The Roux

Do not leave it unattended
Stir constantly
Control the heat
Use a heavy bottom pot that is level
Be patient

Roux Colors

Your roux will go through different color phases as you cook it. From blonde to a dark rich chocolate color. Each color phase has a different aroma and taste profile and is used to create different dishes. The dark chocolate roux is usually used for gumbo and red meats. While the blonde colored roux can be used for poultry and fish.

Stock And Liquids

When turning the roux into a gravy, you have a choice of liquids that you can use. Water, stock, broth, beer, wine, clam juice etc. The stock or broth can be seafood, fish, shrimp, lobster, crab, chicken, duck, turkey, veal, beef, vegetable, etc.

Shrimp

My personal preference is deveined and easy peel shrimp. Remove the shell and rinse well under cold running water. If you purchase shrimp with head and shell on, that will add 20-30 minutes to your prep time. The head and shells can be used to make a delicious shrimp stock.

Shelf Life And Storage

Roux should be kept in a container with an air tight fitting lid. Roux, homemade roux has a pantry life of 4-6 weeks. Refrigerator life 3-6 months and a freezer life of 9-12 months. I usually make a large batch of roux and store it in my refrigerator or I freeze it so it's available when I want it.

Oil Free Roux

You can make an oil free version of roux by roasting flour in the oven at 400°F. Depending on what you want, it can take up to an hour to achieve a dark chocolate color.

You can also toast the flour on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet stirring constantly until the desired color is achieved.

This can be stored in the pantry for 3 months or in the freezer for 6-8 months.

Note: Both the oven and the skillet methods have an unpleasant smell while cooking, but not when used to create a gravy.

Purchasing Roux

You can purchase both oil and oil-free roux. But, please be aware they they have other ingredients listed in the final product. You can find these items on Amazon.

Stock

You can use any type of stock that you desire. You can even use water. however, stock makes for flavorful end result. Try to ensure that it is no or low sodium.

Reheating

Reheat your étouffée in a saucepan on the stovetop ( my preferred method), or in the microwave.

Storage

Store étouffée in a tightly cover contain in the refrigerator for up 3 days. I don't suggest freezing leftover étouffée.

Nutrition