Shrimp Etouffee Recipe
The smell of Etouffee, be it Crawfish or Shrimp, is one of the most heavenly aromas that I know, along with the smell of Shrimp a la Creole. The word Etouffee (Ay-2-FAY) translates roughly to smothered , stewed, or braised. To me it simply translates to happy taste buds.
I always buy shell on shrimp, why? For the same reason I buy bone in cuts of meat. Stock. The amount of shrimp you’re using for this recipe will produce just enough Shrimp Stock, plus a little extra (recipe below). Shrimp stock only needs to cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
The Shells and tails from 2 lb. of Shrimp
1/2 Cup chopped Onion
1/4 Cup chopped Celery
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Lemon sliced
2 Fresh Bay Leaves
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 tsp. Black Peppercorns
Add all ingredients to a 2 qt. saucepan. Cover this with cold water, it should be about 6-8 Cups Cups. You’ll need 1 1/2 Cups for the Etouffee. Bring almost to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. Strain.
Tip: When adding fresh Thyme to a simmered dish like this, I always bundle the Thyme tightly with butchers twine. The leaves will remove themselves while cooking, and you will get all of the flavor from the stems. When ready to serve just remove the bundle of stems along with your bay leaves.
The recipe:
Shrimp Etouffee Recipe
2 Tbsp Creole Seasoning
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Onion, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Celery, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Bell Pepper, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup fresh Tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 Cups Shrimp Stock
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
I bundle of Fresh Thyme
2 tsp Homemade Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Hot Sauce (I like Crystal or Louisiana Gold)
1/2 Cup Green Onions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp minced Italian Parsley
2 lb Good Quality Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined, Save shells for the stock
3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 Recipe Creole Boiled Rice
Season the shrimp with 1 Tbsp of the Creole Seasoning.
Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet, add the onions, bell pepper, and celery, saute until translucent. Whisk in the flour to make a blonde roux, stirring constantly, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the remaining Creole Seasoning. Add a small amount of the shrimp stock, stir well to form a paste, add the remaining stock gradually, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. You may need a little more stock, but the end result should be the consistency of a gravy, not too thick, not too thin.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, Thyme, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, a little salt, black pepper, and Cayenne. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add the shrimp, green onions, and parsley, simmer for 10 minutes more or until the shrimp are cooked through. Stir in the 3 Tbsp butter, and adjust the seasonings to taste.
Serve over Creole Boiled Rice.
Serves 4 as an Appetizer or 2 as a Large Entree.
Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes, which links to all of the recipes featured on this site!
Related Posts:
Shrimp Creole Recipe
Creole Stuffed Peppers (Austin Leslie Style)
Redfish Courtbouillon Recipe
Shrimp Stock Recipe
Shrimp Stuffed Mirlitons
Shrimp Stuffed Savory Crepes with Tasso Cream Sauce
Aw, man!
Comment by Laurie — December 28, 2006 @ 10:42 pm
Oh my…I can smell it from miles away! How I do miss the food in New Orleans.
Comment by Loulou — January 7, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
I’ve gone to heaven. Your recipes all look wonderful. ALL dishes I’ve been wondering if I could try. I imagine it’ll take practice - took me a while to learn the dishes I do prepare … Thank you
Comment by meow — January 17, 2007 @ 11:41 am
I made this etouffee last weekend for the Saints’ game–and it was fabulous! Don’t be afraid to give it a try…
Comment by Mindy — January 20, 2007 @ 10:24 am
How many servings does this recipe make?
Comment by Bert — January 27, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
My mouth is watering, can’t wait to try it out. Quick question what can I use instead of butter?
Comment by adefunke — February 6, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Thanks so much. I had to fly out of NOLA on Monday, and this recipe made me less homesick on Mardi Gras (I’m not even from there, but I’m trying to find a way to be).
Comment by Robert — February 21, 2007 @ 10:16 am
Delicious! Made this for Father’s Day Dinner and it was not difficult to make. Thanks for a recipe we will enjoy over and over again.
Comment by Sue — June 17, 2007 @ 6:37 pm
Thanks for a great recipe. I know it isn’t exactly étoufée weather here in Dallas in July, but I was so excited, I made it anyway. I took it a little easy with the creole seasoning and hot sauce so as not to hurt the kids, but I had plenty of hot sauce waiting at my place at the table. My wife and I loved it.
I will never throw shrimp shells away again until I have gotten a great stock out of them. Thanks again.
Comment by Michael — July 18, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
Pretty good. I must warn anyone cooking this to check to make sure that you have enough time to make it. It took me nearly an hour and a half. I was rushing things because dinner was late and it was clearly not as good as it could have been. Dont undercook the shrimp. Make sure you simmer the stock for long enough.
Comment by Marcus — September 24, 2007 @ 3:41 am
On my second try, VERY GOOD. Spicy and filling. However once you put the roux on to cook, it will take constant work. CHOP EVERYTHING IN ADVANCE or you stand a good chance at burning the roux.
Comment by Marcus — October 8, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
This recipe looks great but my family wont eat seafood(silly rabbits) what other meat would be a good sub? The budin recipe is what I came in for. Thanks
Comment by Tammy — October 9, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
What a great receipe. I too will never again throw away shrimp shells without making a stock first. Only thing I wasn”t sure how many serving this made, I had to make extra stock but it still turn out great! Can’t wait to it make again!
Comment by Tarsha — November 12, 2007 @ 10:04 pm
Wow! I made this dish, but modified it by mixing crawfish with the shrimp. Mmmmmmm…..so delicious!!! Thanks a bunch!
Comment by Alpha — November 19, 2007 @ 11:43 am
Thank you NOLA for an EXCELLENT recipe! The best affirmation of a dish well prepared were the compliments from those who hailed from New Orleans and said that is was like tasting a bit of home. Not too bad for a girl from San Antonio! I look forward to experiencing many more recipes from your site. Be blessed!
Comment by Deborah — November 21, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
Is it important to keep the shrimp in its shell when cooking the stock recipe? I want to eat the etoufee without the shells. Is it okay to remove the shells and devain before I begin the stock recipe?
Comment by Shay — November 26, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
mmmm yummy!!!!! I think I may try this for Christmas.
:P)
Comment by LSU FOOTBALL — December 24, 2007 @ 5:16 am
I’ve become a big fan of your website. I learned to love NOLA food during the Katrina response and now i cant get enough. my friends tell me that the Shrimp Etouffee recipe may be the best food they ever ate!!!
Comment by Paul Gotthold — January 4, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
Dangit! You are making me soooo hungry!! lol That pic looks really good.
Comment by Hank Williams — January 18, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
I love the smell of it too. It’s almost as good as eating it huh? The black pepper makes the dish to me. But I do love a little extra pepper in my etouffee. Looks great!!!
Comment by Shrimp Etouffee — January 21, 2008 @ 5:14 am
How many does this recipe serves?
Comment by Creole Guy — February 5, 2008 @ 1:32 am
Fantastic recipe!!! This is hands-down, the best etouffee recipe I have ever tried — it is excellent. I highly recommend it.
Comment by Sarah — March 10, 2008 @ 1:37 am
I have now tried two recipies from your site. Gumbo and the shrimp etoufee. I have been searching for recipies for both for years..I can now stop looking!! Fantastic.
Comment by Muskie — March 31, 2008 @ 2:20 pm