SHELLFISH
Étouffée can be made with any kind of shellfish. Sub out the shrimp for crab, mussels, or even crayfish (or crawdads) if you can find them! Fresh shrimp is the best to use, but if frozen is all that’s available, no worries! Just make sure it’s well-drained, and don’t overcook.
SAUCE
The base of this dish is the sauce made from a roux. It’s possible to make different types of roux, from “blonde” to medium, to brown. The longer the roux cooks, the darker and nuttier it becomes, but it can definitely take some time. So our recipe strikes a happy medium, without sacrificing any of the flavors!
BROTH
If time is short, just go ahead and use chicken broth, or better yet, canned shrimp broth. But if time is no issue and you want to “get your chef on,” then go ahead and make homemade shrimp stock.
How to Make Shrimp Étouffée
This dish takes time but I can assure you it’s worth every second.
Cook Shrimp
Season and cook shrimp just until pink (per recipe below). It will cook more later, do not overcook.
Make Roux
Combine flour and fat and cook until it becomes the color of peanut butter. Add onions/celery/peppers (this helps stop the cooking process).
Simmer
Add diced fresh tomatoes, bay leaf, and Worcestershire and simmer.
Add flavors
Add shrimp, green onions, and a squeeze of lemon juice and heat through. Serve over rice.
Tips
