Shrimp étouffée

Shrimp étouffée is one of my favourite creole and cajun dishes found in the southern United States. Étouffée, in French, means ‘smothered’, which refers to the cooking technique of this dish — shellfish is ‘smothered’ in an aromatic seasoning served over rice. However you pronounce it, it’s comfort food that will warm your body and soul.

INGREDIENTS

1kg raw prawns, peeled, keeping the shells and heads for making the stock below

80g butter

1/2 large onion, finely diced

1 green capsicum, cut into 1 cm pieces

1 large celery stalk, diced

2 tablespoons plain flour

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1-2 jalapeno chillies, chopped

salt, to taste

tabasco sauce, to taste

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 handful parsley, finely chopped

rice, steamed, to serve

lime cheeks, to serve

PRAWN STOCK

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 bay leaf

3-4 black peppercorns

CREOLE SEASONING

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

METHOD

Peel the prawns, saving the shells and heads. Cover and refrigerate the prawn meat until required.

To make the prawn stock, pour 1 litre water into a large saucepan, add the reserved prawn shells and heads and the prawn stock ingredients. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then drop the heat down to low and simmer the stock gently for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a smaller saucepan set over a low heat to keep warm. You will need about 750 ml stock for this recipe.

To make the creole seasoning, combine the ingredients in a small bowl.

Melt 60 g of the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, sauté the onion, capsicum and celery until softened and translucent. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and keep stirring. Let this cook, stirring often, until it turns dark golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle on the paprika and creole seasoning and mix well.

Slowly pour in 250 ml of the stock, whisking constantly to make sure there are no flour lumps. Then slowly whisk in the remaining stock and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and let it bubble away. Add the garlic and jalapeño, stir well and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the prawn meat, cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and Tabasco sauce if needed, stir in half of the spring onion and parsley, then finally add the knob of remaining butter for good luck.

Serve with steamed rice, garnished with the remaining spring onion and parsley, and lime cheeks.

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