Chef John's Shrimp Étouffée

Étouffée is a classic New Orleans seafood stew thickened with a roux. Chef John's easy recipe uses frozen shrimp and a delicious homemade spice blend.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 424 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 1 dash hot sauce, or more to taste
• 2 cups cooked rice, or to taste
• cayenne pepper for garnish
• 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.25 teaspoon ground thyme
• 0.25 teaspoon onion powder
• 0.5 cup diced tomatoes
• 0.25 cup sliced green onions
• 0.33333334326744 cup diced green bell pepper
• 0.33333334326744 cup diced onion
• 0.75 teaspoon paprika
• 0.25 teaspoon white pepper
• 1.75 cups chicken stock, or as needed
• 0.33333334326744 cup thinly sliced celery

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until juice collects in the bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups, adding more chicken stock if necessary. Set aside.

Step 2

Garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper. Pour over rice in large, shallow bowls.

Step 3

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, and cook 1 minute more.

Step 4

Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining spice blend.

Step 5

Stir shrimp into étouffée sauce; let simmer until shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent, about 1 minute.

Step 6

For the spice blend: Whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl.

Step 7

For the étouffée: 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 the bowl. Season shrimp with salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend; toss to coat.

Step 8

Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture and sauté until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock mixture, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire and hot sauce. Season with salt to taste.