Chef John’s Shrimp Etouffee

Description

We’re going to use this spicy and delicious New Orleans classic to demonstrate that it is possible to get good results from using waterlogged frozen shrimp, which unfortunately is sometimes the only option. To make them work we’ve got to use a few tricks. I prefer this with little chunks of browned chicken or pork, actually.

Ingredients

  • ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup diced onion
  • ⅓ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ⅓ cup thinly sliced celery
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 ¾ cups chicken stock, or as needed
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 dash hot sauce, or more to taste
  • salt to taste
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions
  • 2 cups cooked rice, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Whisk paprika
  2. thyme
  3. oregano
  4. cayenne
  5. garlic powder
  6. onion powder
  7. white pepper
  8. and black pepper together in a small bowl.
  9. Drain shrimp in a colander for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels and dry shrimp for about 3 minutes. Remove paper towels from bowl. Season shrimp with salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend; toss to coat.
  10. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until oil is smoking. Cook shrimp in hot oil without stirring for 1 minute; stir
  11. and cook 1 minute more.
  12. Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until juice collects in the bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups
  13. adding more chicken stock if necessary. Set aside.
  14. Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Sauté onion
  15. bell pepper
  16. and celery in hot butter until softened
  17. about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining spice blend.
  18. Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture and sauté until combined
  19. 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on bottom of pan
  20. about 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock mixture
  21. stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy consistency
  22. 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire and hot sauce. Season with salt to taste.
  23. Stir shrimp into étouffée sauce; let simmer until shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent
  24. about 1 minute.
  25. Garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper. Pour over rice in large
  26. shallow bowls.

Prep Time: 35 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Servings: 4

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