Looking for First Dutch Oven Cook - Etouffee???

East Cobb Eggy

I received a dutch oven for Christmas and have yet to do a cook in it.

I wanted to a spagetti sauce cook first but was told that tomato is not really the best to do first in a dutch oven.

Therefore, I was thinking about doing an Etouffee.

Anyone have any good recipes or other ideas??

Greg

Richard Fl

Found this last year, but have not made it yet, looks interesting. I did a turkey gumbo last week and it turned out great. If doing roux, do it on the stove.

Etouffee, Crawdad

My father worked for a cajun company, and I grew up eating Aunt Te's Crawfish Etouffee. She sold this magnificent mixture in mason jars, up until the time she died. Every month or two, my dad would pull one of those jars out of the freezer, and we knew it was going to be a great dinner that night. Unfortunately, she took the recipe with her. The closest I've come to matching her recipe is Paul Prudhomme's recipe from his Louisiana Kitchen cook book.


INGREDIENTS:
Seasoning Mix:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cayenne (I love and live for hot, spicy food. And, this is to spicy for me!!! I cut it in half and use one teaspoon of cayenne. Probably a lot of cajuns out there who would disagree)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried sweet basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
7 Tbs cooking oil (I use peanut oil as the roux has been described as having a "nutty" flavor. Don't know if it makes any difference)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups seafood stock (I either go to Tony's meat market (In Denver) or, you can use clam juice)
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 lbs peeled crawfish tails
1 cup finely chopped green onions
4 cups cooked rice.




Preparation:
1 Combine your spices and set aside.
2 In a heavy Iron skillet, I use a dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat. I always get someone to help me with this part. When the oil starts to smoke, I use a sifter and start adding the flour while whisking. You can't stop whisking or you will burn the roux. If you burn it (black specks) you have to start over. Reach into your pocket and pull out a new penny. That's the color the roux should be when it's done. Take it off the heat and add your vegetables and 1 tablespoon of your spice mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. The mixture will seem too dry, and the vegetables will ball up in the pan. That's the way it is supposed to be.
3 In a 2 quart saucepan, bring 2 cups of the stock to a boil over high heat. Gradually add your roux mixture until the flour is all disolved and mixed well, about 2 minutes and stirring constantly.
4 In a 4 quart saucepan melt a stick of butter over medium heat and add the 2 lbs. crawfish and green onions, and saute for a minute. Add the other stick of butter, the remaining cup of seafood stock, and the stock mixture (the roux mixture, from above). Cook and stir until the butter is melted into the sauce (4 to 6 minutes) shaking the pan back and forth (as opposed to stirring. Why? I don't know. Maybe stirring breaks the sauce). Add the remaining spice mixture, stir it in, and remove from the heat. If the sauce does break (separates), add 2 tblsp. of seafood stock or water and shake the pan until it combines. Pour it over your rice, and get ready for some damn good chow. Also, you better print this recipe, because Paul Prudhomme's recipes are very difficult to find on the internet.


Recipe Source
Author: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/372122

Source: Internet, 07/12/07,

East Cobb Eggy

That looks great.

I will have to give it a try.

Thanks a lot.

Greg

Cpt'n Cook

Beef stew is always good, and pretty easy.

Eggtucky

Dude..thanks for that recipe..I'll def give it a try! Used to travel to S. Louisiana a lot on business...Lafayette, St. Martinville, other places...LOVED crawfish etouffee served over blackened catfish or red snapper...makes muh mouth water!...heh

Frank from Houma

Richard has good advice on the pepper. Cooked the same recipe and the pepper was overpowering. Cut it in half and it still had a kick. I would cut it to about 25% - you can always add tabasco if you want it spicier. BTW - I think most cajuns would also agree with Richard - I'm a converted one and my bride is 100%.

Grandpas Grub

Dutch Oven, great stuff.

I do tomato based cooks off and on and I don't have any problems.

Pot roast is fantastic, stews, soups, bread the ideas just don't stop.

Don't use a lid. Kind of like taking a shower with a rain coat on.

Kent