Page 235 - My Cookbook

Shrimp Etouffee

Seafood
Makes 4-6 servings INGREDIENTS
9 TBLS unsalted butter, cut into 9 pieces
2 pounds extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
3 onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
Salt & pepper
5 cups water
8 garlic cloves (2 peeled and smashed, 6 minced)
1 TBLS peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme plus 1 TBLS minced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 green bell pepper. stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
3 scallions, sliced thin
2 tsp worcestshire sauce
Cooked white rice
Hot sauce
Lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt 1 TBLS butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shrimp shells, 2 cups onions. 1/2 cup celery and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until shells are spotty brown, about 10 minutes. Add water smashed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain shrimp stock through a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Wash and dry pot. (Stock can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen up to a month).
2. Toast flour in now empty pot over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 8 TBLS butter until melted and combined with flour. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until deep brown, 4-6 minutes.
3. Add bell pepper, remaining onion, remaining celery, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring often until vegetables are softened, 10-12 minutes. Add paprika, cayenne, minced garlic and minced thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and their juice and cook until dry, about 1 minute.. Slowly whisk in 4 cups shrimp stock until incorporated (reserve any remaining stock for another use). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.
4. Season shrimp with salt and pepper add to pot, and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve over rice with hot sauce and lemon wedges.
NOTES
If you can't find shell on shrimp, skip step 1 and substitute 3 cups of water, 1 (8 oz) bottle of clam juice and 3/4 tsp of salt for the stock in step 3.