Shrimp Etouffee

Ever since I read The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood for the first time, I've wanted to try etouffee, but never had a recipe.  My mama found one somewhere, that she swears by, but I've never been at her house when she made it.  So, when I saw this version, I couldn't wait to try it!  Feel free to change up the seafood to your liking, and experiment with sources of protein that aren't seafood too!  I used frozen shrimp and scallops in mine, and they worked just fine (and were less effort for me to prepare!).  To serve, just whip up a pot of rice:  mix 2 cups rice (I used Texmati Royal Blend with Flaxseed), 4 cups chicken stock, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over high heat; bring to a boil, stir, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

2 red or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 large tomato, cored and chopped

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

4 cups chicken stock

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound large scallops

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

10-12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Dirty rice, for serving

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until melted and hot.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture changes from light to golden brown.  Adjust the heat to low if the flour burns too quickly (it should be about 5-10 minutes).

Add the butter, celery, bell peppers, and garlic.  Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes more, until the onion is soft and golden, the celery and peppers begin to soften, and the roux turns a reddish brown.  Add the tomato and cook, stirring, one minute longer.

Slowly add 1 cup of the stock, stirring constantly, until all is incorporated.  Add the remaining 3 cups, 1 cup at a time, and combine to form a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes.  If the mixture remains very liquid-y, add some more flour (I had to add another 1/3 cup).  Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick.

Add the shrimp, scallops, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, thyme, and basil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are bright pink and the scallops are cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm over rice and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Feel free to mix and match the protein in this dish.  Most shellfish (crawfish, oysters, lobster), as well as chicken, duck, or andouille sausage would all taste lovely!