Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (113g) Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup (60g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 large (approx. 1 cup) Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup Celery, finely diced
  • 1 cup Green Bell Pepper, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio)
  • 4 cups low sodium Chicken or Seafood Stock, warmed
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 large Bay Leaf
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
  • 5 lbs (680g) Large Raw Shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 1/2 cup Green Onions (Scallions), thinly sliced, for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • Cooked Long Grain White Rice, as needed, for serving

Instructions:

  1. Finely dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper (the Holy Trinity). Mince the garlic and set all vegetables aside.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Gradually whisk in the flour until smooth. Stir constantly for 20–30 minutes until the mixture reaches a rich, peanut-butter or milk-chocolate brown colour.
  3. Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. Stir well to coat and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until vegetables soften (sweating them down). Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble and reduce by half (about 2 minutes).
  5. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
  6. Slowly whisk in the warm stock, ensuring no lumps remain. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and let the Etouffee cook for at least 20 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld.
  7. Remove the bay leaf. Increase the heat slightly, season the sauce with salt and pepper. Add the raw shrimp to the simmering sauce. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring gently, until the shrimp are opaque and pink.
  8. Stir in half of the sliced green onions. Check seasoning one last time. Serve immediately ladled generously over mounds of fluffy white rice, garnished with the remaining green onions and fresh parsley.