Étouffée is a delicious shellfish stew that's a New Orleans classic. I use a homemade spice blend in this recipe and demonstrate that it is possible to get good results using frozen shrimp, which is sometimes the only option.
Ingredients
- paprika: 0.75 tsp
- ground thyme: 0.25 tsp
- oregano: 0.25 tsp (dried)
- cayenne pepper: 0.25 tsp
- garlic powder: 0.25 tsp
- onion powder: 0.25 tsp
- white pepper: 0.25 tsp
- ground black pepper: 0.25 tsp
- shrimp: 2 pound (peeled and deveined)
- salt: 0.5 tsp
- vegetable oil: 1 Tbsp
- ¾ cups chicken stock: 1 piece (or as needed)
- butter: 3 Tbsp
- onion: 0.33333 cup (diced)
- green bell pepper: 0.33333 cup (diced)
- celery: 0.33333 cup (thinly sliced)
- all-purpose flour: 2 Tbsp (or as needed)
- tomatoes: 0.5 cup (diced)
- Worcestershire sauce: 0.5 tsp
- dash hot sauce: 1 piece (to taste)
- salt: (to taste)
- green onions: 0.25 cup (sliced)
- cayenne pepper: (for garnish)
- rice: 2 cups (to taste, cooked)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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For the spice blend: Whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
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For the étouffée: Drain shrimp in a colander for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels and dry shrimp for about 3 minutes. Remove paper towels from the bowl. Season shrimp with salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend; toss to coat.
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Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until oil is smoking. Cook shrimp in hot oil without stirring for 1 minute; stir, and cook 1 minute more. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until juice collects in the bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups, adding more chicken stock if necessary. Set aside.
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Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining spice blend. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture and sauté until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock mixture, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire and hot sauce. Season with salt to taste. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Stir shrimp into étouffée sauce; let simmer until shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent, about 1 minute. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper. Pour over rice in large, shallow bowls. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
