Shrimp Étouffée

This is a recipe from Grandbaby Cakes, and it's a delicious dish bursting with authentic Creole flavor. This dish traces back to the crawfish capital of the world, Breaux Bridges, Louisiana. Étouffée was first served in the Herbert Hotel in the early 1920s when Mrs. Herbert, along with her daughters Yoli and Marie, made this dish using crawfish tails, crawfish fat, and pepper.

This is a great recipe to try if you are looking to practice making a roux. Also, I used white spelt flour instead of regular flour. Bob Apétit has a great breakdown on why this substitution offers some added nutrients.

This recipe calls for shrimp, easier to get locally, and these shrimp were directly sourced from Scallop Shack Farms, a direct-to-consumer seafood company based in Cape May, NJ.

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Allergens: dairy, nightshades, shellfish

Ingredients

1/4 c salted butter

1/4 c white spelt flour or sorghum flour (my one alteration)

3/4 c chopped onion

1/2 c sliced celery

1/2 c chopped green bell pepper

1 1/2 c chicken stock

1/2 c white wine

1/2 tsp tomato paste

14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes, drained

1 Tbs Cajun-Creaole spice blend

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp hot sauce, Louisiana style

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 lb shrimp, peeled and devained

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbs heavy whipping cream

green onion and parsley, rough chop for garnish

cooked rice, for serving

Cooking Instructions

1. In a medium-sized pan, melt butter over medium heat. Thoroughly stir in flour making sure there are no lumps to begin the roux. Allow the roux to develop, stirring frequently for 9-10 minutes, until achieving a dark brick-colored stage (be careful not to let it burn!).

2. Stir in onion, celery, and green pepper, and cook for a few minutes until tender, stirring frequently.

3. Pour in chicken stock and white wine, then add tomato paste and diced tomatoes, and whisk everything together.

4. Season with Cajun-Creole spice blend, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce.

5. Allow the mixture to cook for 10-12 minutes over medium heat to come together and begin to thicken, then add the shrimp, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5-7 minutes on a lower heat with the lid on.

6. Stir in heavy whipping cream and cook for 2-3 more minutes until thickened.

7. Serve over rice and garnish with parsley and green onions.

Enjoy!