Louisiana Shrimp Etouffée 2

While I’ve never been to Louisiana, I do love the food. Maybe it comes from my southern roots via Pops. Maybe it is that love of spice and flavor and anything down home. All I know is that while I’ve never been to Louisiana, I feel deeply connected to the Gulf region.

Étouffée is a dish found in both Cajun and Creole Cuisines. At its heart you have shellfish served over sticky white rice. You can’t visit New Orleans without tasting Étouffée. Yet this dish can also be found in the coastal communities of Mississippi, Alabama, northern Florida and eastern Texas. Most commonly made with crab or shrimp, the very first Étouffée was made with Crawfish, and when you get right down to it, it still is. If Crawfish is plentiful in your neck of the woods, go for it. If not, shrimp is just as delicious. You can’t do Cajun without the Holy Trinity – onion, bell peppers and celery. Everything from Gumbo to Jambalayas to sauces and stews start and end with the Holy Trinity.

Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom. Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang. Oh yeah, this is good. Definitely a must have for our next Mardi Gras Supper. In the meantime, what a great Date Night Supper!

Louisiana Shrimp Étouffée
2 cups White Rice, cooked
1 lb large Shrimp (13-15 counts)
1 chopped Onion, White
4 chopped Mini Bell Peppers
1 chopped Celery Rib
2 minced Garlic Cloves
2 tablespoons Parsley, Italian
1/4 cup Butter
3 tablespoons Flour
1 cup Water
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
1/4 cup White Wine

Cook rice for serving, keep warm until ready to use.

Thaw shrimp if frozen. Peel shrimp, devein. Remove tails if desired. Set aside.

Chop onion, mini bells and celery. Set aside. Finely mince garlic, set aside. Snip parsley, set aside.

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Heat butter in a 3-quart sauce pan over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour. Cook roux for about 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until bubbly and brown.

Stir in the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Add shrimp, water, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, hot sauce and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat.

Simmer, uncovered, until shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add white wine. Remove from heat.

Spread rice out on individual plates, ladle the shrimp over the rice. Be sure to have plenty of crusty bread rolls.

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