Chef John's Shrimp Étouffée
Description
Étouffée is a classic New Orleans shellfish stew thickened with a roux. Chef John's easy recipe uses frozen shrimp and a delicious homemade spice mix.
Ingredients
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3/4 teaspoon paprika
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1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
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1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/4 teaspoon onion powder
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1/4 teaspoon white pepper
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1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
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2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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1 3/4 cups chicken stock, or as needed
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3 tablespoons butter
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1/3 cup diced onion
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1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
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1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
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1/2 cup diced tomatoes
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1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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1 dash hot sauce, or more to taste
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salt to taste
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2 cups cooked rice, or to taste
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1/4 cup sliced green onions
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cayenne pepper for garnish
Directions
1
Whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl; set aside spice blend.
2
Drain shrimp in a colander for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels; dry shrimp for about 3 minutes. Remove paper towels from the bowl. Season shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend; toss to coat.
3
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until oil is smoking. Add shrimp; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Stir; cook 1 minute more.
4
Transfer shrimp to a large bowl; set aside until juice collects in the bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups, adding more chicken stock if necessary. Set aside.
5
Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining spice blend.
6
Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture; cook until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on the bottom of the skillet, about 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock mixture, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy-like consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire and hot sauce; season with salt.
7
Stir shrimp into étouffée sauce; simmer until shrimp are no longer translucent and cooked all the way through, about 1 minute.
8
Serve over rice in large, shallow bowls; garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper.