Cajun and Creole food is right up there near the top of my favorite dishes to prepare. One of my high school buddy’s dad was certified Cajun, and in my early 20’s he taught me how to make gumbo….I’ve probably made at least one or two pots a year ever since. I’ve expanded my Cajun repertoire since then, with the help of a couple of my favorite Cajun cookbooks. Number one on the list is Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. I’ve made his shrimp or crawfish etouffe several times over the years and it is good, very good! I’ve had it in restaurants a few times also, but his recipe is the best IMO. For the Team Cook you can use either shrimp or crawfish as the protein. I’ll have a few notes posted at the end for guidance with a few things. The recipe to follow is as it appears in his cookbook .
Shrimp Etouffe
Crawfish Etouffe
Serves 8 regular people or 4 Pit Members 🥸
Chef Paul’s Cajun Seasoning Mix:
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Étouffée Ingredients:
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped green bell peppers
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups Basic Seafood Stock
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, in all
2 pounds peeled medium shrimp
1 cup finely chopped green onions
4 cups hot cooked rice
Étouffée Instructions:
Make Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun seasoning and have it ready. You can also buy his Cajun Seasoning in the store if desired.
In a bowl, combine the onions, celery, and bell peppers. In a large, heavy cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it begins to smoke (about 4 minutes).
First, Make a Roux!
With a long-handled metal whisk, gradually mix the flour in the hot pan, stirring until smooth. Turn heat down to medium low.
Continue cooking and whisking until the roux is dark brown,
(about 3 to 5 minutes – don’t let it burn.) Don’t worry if it takes longer than he says, it probably will.
Remove from heat and with a wooden spoon, immediately stir in the diced vegetables, plus one tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning mix.
(Continue stirring until cooled – about 5 minutes.)
In a 2-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups of stock to a boil over high heat. Gradually add the roux and whisk until it is dissolved.
Reduce heat to low and cook about 2 minutes until the flour taste is gone — whisking constantly.
Remove from heat and set aside.
In a 4-quart saucepan, melt one stick of the butter over medium heat.
Stir in the shrimp and green onions; sauté about one minute, stirring constantly.
Then add the remaining butter, the stock mixture, and the remaining cup of stock.
Cook until the butter melts and is well combined into the sauce, about 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion, rather than stirring the mixture.
Add 1 Tablespoon of the remaining seasoning mix; stir well, then remove from the heat. After cook is done, you can add more seasoning to taste if needed.
EDITED from using the rest of the seasoning to 1 tablespoon…..
If the sauce starts separating, add about 2 tablespoons more of stock or water and
shake the pan back and forth until it combines.
NOTE: Shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion while adding stock can help prevent the sauce from separating and developing an oily texture. Stirring the sauce at this stage doesn’t produce the same effect.
Serve immediately and preferably with your favorite crusty bread! Can be garnished with thinly sliced green onion if you like.
To Serve:
Mound ½ cup rice on each heated serving bowl and surround the rice with ¾ cup of the Étouffée sauce. 🙄 [Like who’s gonna measure their etouffe?! Just put it in the damn bowl with some rice and dig in!] 😋
NOTES:
1. To make a seafood stock, add all the shrimp shells and heads [if you have them] in a pot with 4 cups of cold water, bring to a boil and then simmer a minimum of 4 hours, preferably 6-8 hours if possible. You can keep the lid off or have the lid on, but tilted askew. Add more water if needed during this time, remember you’ll need 3 cups for the recipe. When done, strain the stock and set aside. DO NOT skip this step and use just plain water!
2. When making the seasoning mix, don’t freak out over using 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. When it’s all said and done it won’t be too spicy. I’ve used 1 teaspoon before as well as using 2 teaspoons, couldn’t really tell a difference in the heat level.
3. I can hear a few of you already…..2 STICKS OF BUTTER?! Waah, waah waah. Just follow the directions as printed and you will be rewarded with some of the best etouffe you ever done did had! Remember, one serving will amount to only about a 1/4 stick of butter and you ain’t gonna be eatin this every week. 🥸
4. His recipe calls for only 1/4 cup each of celery, bell pepper and onion. Double those amounts! I found 1/4 cup to be not enough, 1/2 cup of each was just right.
5. If you’re going to do a crawfish Etouffe using frozen crawfish tails, you can buy a pound or two of shrimp, do something else with the shrimp, and use the shells for your seafood stock….if that works for you. Or you can buy a seafood stock at the store.
REVEAL DAYS WILL BE Friday Feb. 20 thru Sunday the 22nd.
Your roux should look like this when done….
When the etouffe is finished…..
Have fun guys and thanks for letting me do this!
Shrimp Etouffe
Crawfish Etouffe
Serves 8 regular people or 4 Pit Members 🥸
Chef Paul’s Cajun Seasoning Mix:
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Étouffée Ingredients:
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped green bell peppers
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups Basic Seafood Stock
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, in all
2 pounds peeled medium shrimp
1 cup finely chopped green onions
4 cups hot cooked rice
Étouffée Instructions:
Make Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun seasoning and have it ready. You can also buy his Cajun Seasoning in the store if desired.
In a bowl, combine the onions, celery, and bell peppers. In a large, heavy cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it begins to smoke (about 4 minutes).
First, Make a Roux!
With a long-handled metal whisk, gradually mix the flour in the hot pan, stirring until smooth. Turn heat down to medium low.
Continue cooking and whisking until the roux is dark brown,
(about 3 to 5 minutes – don’t let it burn.) Don’t worry if it takes longer than he says, it probably will.
Remove from heat and with a wooden spoon, immediately stir in the diced vegetables, plus one tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning mix.
(Continue stirring until cooled – about 5 minutes.)
In a 2-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups of stock to a boil over high heat. Gradually add the roux and whisk until it is dissolved.
Reduce heat to low and cook about 2 minutes until the flour taste is gone — whisking constantly.
Remove from heat and set aside.
In a 4-quart saucepan, melt one stick of the butter over medium heat.
Stir in the shrimp and green onions; sauté about one minute, stirring constantly.
Then add the remaining butter, the stock mixture, and the remaining cup of stock.
Cook until the butter melts and is well combined into the sauce, about 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion, rather than stirring the mixture.
Add 1 Tablespoon of the remaining seasoning mix; stir well, then remove from the heat. After cook is done, you can add more seasoning to taste if needed.
EDITED from using the rest of the seasoning to 1 tablespoon…..
If the sauce starts separating, add about 2 tablespoons more of stock or water and
shake the pan back and forth until it combines.
NOTE: Shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion while adding stock can help prevent the sauce from separating and developing an oily texture. Stirring the sauce at this stage doesn’t produce the same effect.
Serve immediately and preferably with your favorite crusty bread! Can be garnished with thinly sliced green onion if you like.
To Serve:
Mound ½ cup rice on each heated serving bowl and surround the rice with ¾ cup of the Étouffée sauce. 🙄 [Like who’s gonna measure their etouffe?! Just put it in the damn bowl with some rice and dig in!] 😋
NOTES:
1. To make a seafood stock, add all the shrimp shells and heads [if you have them] in a pot with 4 cups of cold water, bring to a boil and then simmer a minimum of 4 hours, preferably 6-8 hours if possible. You can keep the lid off or have the lid on, but tilted askew. Add more water if needed during this time, remember you’ll need 3 cups for the recipe. When done, strain the stock and set aside. DO NOT skip this step and use just plain water!
2. When making the seasoning mix, don’t freak out over using 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. When it’s all said and done it won’t be too spicy. I’ve used 1 teaspoon before as well as using 2 teaspoons, couldn’t really tell a difference in the heat level.
3. I can hear a few of you already…..2 STICKS OF BUTTER?! Waah, waah waah. Just follow the directions as printed and you will be rewarded with some of the best etouffe you ever done did had! Remember, one serving will amount to only about a 1/4 stick of butter and you ain’t gonna be eatin this every week. 🥸
4. His recipe calls for only 1/4 cup each of celery, bell pepper and onion. Double those amounts! I found 1/4 cup to be not enough, 1/2 cup of each was just right.
5. If you’re going to do a crawfish Etouffe using frozen crawfish tails, you can buy a pound or two of shrimp, do something else with the shrimp, and use the shells for your seafood stock….if that works for you. Or you can buy a seafood stock at the store.
REVEAL DAYS WILL BE Friday Feb. 20 thru Sunday the 22nd.
Your roux should look like this when done….
When the etouffe is finished…..
Have fun guys and thanks for letting me do this!
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