Shrimp Etouffee

I decided that in 2009, I was going to make one new fancy dish for dinner once a month. For January, I chose to make a Cajun dish, Shrimp Etouffee. We are familiar with this, because we have eaten it at a good Cajun restaurant here in Wichita. I chose a random recipe from the web and bought all of the ingredients when I did my monthly shopping. Tonight, I decided that was what I wanted for dinner. The recipe said that it takes two hours to make. I started at 5:15 thinking that it would be just a little late for family home evening night. But apparently the recipe assumes you have previously made the shrimp stock. So it actually took nearly 3 hours. But we just had our family home evening lesson and game while the etouffee was simmering for 45 minutes. So it all worked out pretty well.

The shrimp etouffe was absolutely divine. I don't think I have ever made anything that has tasted so good. John said that it was as good as the best thing in our favorite Cajun restaurant. I just loved it, and I cannot wait to have more. The kids liked it, but it was way too spicy for children. Johnny actually ate his. He hardly eats anything that is not bread, cereal, or candy. But he ate all of his etouffee.

I changed a few things in the recipe. I left the bay out completely because I did not know that I did not already have some. I used fresh tomatoes that I pureed instead of canned diced tomatoes, and I pureed all of the other vegetables for the sake of my husband and children who cannot stand chunky sauce stuff. Otherwise I followed the recipe fairly carefully. If I make it again, which I think I will but not often, I will cut down on the spices for the sake of my children. I will also double the amount of rice I cooked with it. I will probably also cut the recipe in half. We have a lot of leftovers. John and I will take care of those with out too much trouble, and I may make it for one more dinner. All in all, it was really, really good. So if you like shrimp and spicy, and have three hours to make dinner, try this.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped green bell peppers
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1 quart shrimp stock
• 3 pounds medium shrimp (21 to 25 count per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
• Steamed white rice, for serving
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion tops, for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously to make a roux. Stir the roux over medium heat until the color of peanut butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux, and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the pot and season with the bay leaves, salt, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon of the Essence. Cook the tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes and then whisk in the shrimp stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook the etouffee, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining tablespoon of Essence and add them to the pot, stirring to evenly distribute. Cook the shrimp for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Add the chopped parsley to the pot and stir to combine.

Serve immediately over steamed white rice and garnish with sliced green onion tops.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Shrimp Stock:

1 pound (about 1 quart) shrimp shells and heads

1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots

3 smashed garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons salt

Place the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander and rinse under cold running water for several minutes.

Combine the shrimp shells and remaining ingredients in a heavy 6-quart stockpot, add 4 quarts water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim to remove any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, skimming occasionally.

Remove the stock from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container; let cool completely. Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.