Shrimp Etouffee

I’m a fan of good food. It doesn’t always have to be a beautifully constructed dish of 40 exotic ingredients with many polar opposite attractions. Sometimes down n’ dirty cooking, simple technique, big flavor is what is needed.

This recipe came from my friend Tarpon, NW of New Orleans. This is the family recipe handed down from generation to generation on his wife’s side. This recipe is so old I told my daughter that one of Tarpon’s relatives is actually a gator (may be true). This is exactly what the doctor ordered!

Usually this is served on a bed of rice, but Tarpon confessed that Mrs Tarpon will sometimes put the rice and etouffee in a flaky crust pie (Mad genius). Will try that next.

·         2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

·         Stick butter

·         2 large onions, diced

·         2 stalks celery, diced

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 green bell pepper, diced

·         2 tsp. salt

·         ¼ tsp. black pepper

·         ¼ tsp. pink peppercorns, crushed

·         ½ tsp. garlic powder

·         ¼ tsp. onion powder

·         1 Tbl. Oregano

·         4 Tbl. Flour

·         2 C chicken stock

·         2 stalks green onion, sliced

·         8 oz fresh mushrooms, diced

·         ¼ C fresh cilantro, chopped

Melt butter and slowly cook the trinity (onion, celery, and bell pepper) until the onion is translucent.

Add all of the spices and cook for 1 minute then add the shrimp.

Stir in the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes

Add the chicken stock (slowly while stirring to avoid lumps), mushroom, cilantro, and green onion

Simmer for about 10-15 minutes; just until it is thickened.

Serve in a bowl on white rice and top with all the Louisianna Hot Sauce you can handle. 

Life is good.