Weekend Cooking: Shrimp Etouffee

So I’m still trying to finish up my shrimp stock, and since today I went to the wet market and found some really fresh, succulent shrimp, I decided to make another dish which also utilizes my shrimp stock. The thing is, I bought so much shrimp I ended up with enough heads and shells to make another batch of stock.  It never ends!

Based on the recipe by Emeril Lagasse.

Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients

• 45 grams (about 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 large tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoons Essence
• 2 cups shrimp stock, OR fish stock cubes, enough for 500ml stock
• 700 grams medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, leave tails on if you like
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves (daun sup) OR cilantro (daun ketumbar)
• Steamed white rice, for serving
• 2 stalks green onions (daun bawang), green parts only, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup), 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 or fish 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 cilantro to the pot and stir to combine.

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