Shrimp and Crawfish Etouffee

Ingredients

For Shrimp Stock:

 

  • 1tbs canola oil
  • shells from about 1/2 lb of 31/35 shrimp
  • 1 white onion - large dice
  • 2 ribs celery - large dice
  • 2 carrots - large dice
  • 1tsp salt
  • 3Qts water
  • 4 whole peppercorns
  • 1 clove
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 parsley stems
  • 2 thyme sprigs

For Etouffee:

 

  • 1 yellow onion - small dice
  • 2 ribs celery - small dice
  • 3/4 green bell pepper - small dice
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 stick butter
  • 4 tbs AP flour
  • 2 sprigs thyme - leaves removed and minced
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 4 dashes hot sauce
  • to taste kosher salt
  • to taste fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 3/4 C Shrimp stock (see recipe above)
  • 1/2 lb 31/35 shrimp deveined, peeled 
  • 1/2 lb cooked crawfish tails 
  • 3 green onions sliced thin on a bias
  • 2-3 tbs finely chopped parsley
  • 4 C. cooked rice pilaf

 

 

Instructions

Shrimp Stock:

Note: The term 31/35 shrimp refers to the count. It means there are 31-35 head off shrimp of similar size per 1 lb.

 

  1. Saute shrimp shells in canola oil till they turn pink, add onion, celery, carrot. Season with salt and saute to get a little caramelization/color and tenderness.
  2. add the rest of the ingredients; simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. The stock will reduce to about 1 3/4 C. concentrating the flavors and producing a delicious base cooking liquid. After 45 minutes strain through a mesh strainer or chinoise and reserve the liquid.
Shrimp and Crawfish Etouffee:

Note:

The size of your vegetables may vary from mine. It's best to shoot for a ratio of 2 parts onion, 1 part celery, 1 part bell pepper. However, you can adjust these proportions to your own personal taste. 


 

  1. in a large straight sided saute pan melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic; season with salt and black pepper. Saute until tender and translucent. Stir in chili powder, cayenne, paprika, hot sauce, bay leaf, and thyme. 
  2. Sprinkle in flour and stir to incorporate thoroughly. Allow the flower to cook for about 30 seconds to form a white roux. It will start to smell faintly like cookies baking in the background of all the other smells. Smell for it, you'll know when it happens. 
  3. When your roux has reached the appropriate color/smell stir in the shrimp stock and simmer to reach nappe consistency. Turn the temperature down to medium-low and add the shrimp, cover and cook until opaque then add the crawfish and cook until heated through. 
  4. Turn heat off, stir in green onion and parsley. Serve over rice pilaf (see "Bake Shop, Garde Manger, and Certified Culinarians" for recipe)