<span style='font-weight:bold;color:#FF0000;'>Eggtoberfest 2010 - Shrimp Etouffee</span>

Fidel

Ingredients

Roux

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red or yellow bell peppers
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (more to taste if you want more heat)
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups shrimp or vegetable stock (water will work in a pinch)
• 1 pound shrimp, any size
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp filé powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

Cooked long grain white rice, accompaniment

Instructions

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux, just a bit darker than peanut butter. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring to combine. Add about 1/2 cup or so of stock and keep cooking, stirring constantly until the vegetables are soft, about another 10 minutes.

Add the sherry and bay leaves and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining stock and shrimp and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and filé powder, stir in the parsley, and cook for five more minutes.

Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove the bay leaves. Let stand to cool and thicken.

Serve over rice, garnished with additional parsley.

Notes

Some recipes call for a few shots of Worcestershire sauce or lousiana style hot sauce. I prefer mine without adding either, but experimentation is always good.

Number of Servings: 4

Time to Prepare: 45-60 minutes