The word etouffee comes from the French word for "smother" and in this recipe, it refers to be smothered by a sauce. This dish, as with all traditional Cajun dishes, begins with a roux - or the browning of flour in a fat or oil for use as a thickening agent.
4 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
To make the roux: Heat oil in a heavy skillet until hot.
Gradually stir in the flour and stir constantly until the mixture turns brown. Be very careful you don't burn roux.
Saute the onions, garlic, celery, and Bell pepper in the roux for
five minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock, basil, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a
boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes or until it thickens to a sauce.
Add the hot sauce, crayfish, and scallions and simmer for an
additional five minutes or until the crayfish/shrimp are cooked.
Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with celery seed coleslaw, green beans, and corn bread.
Variations: Use shrimp or lobster meat in place of the crayfish
1. For the inexperienced, making the roux can be tricky ... be
certain to stir the roux constantly or it will burn (if you see dark flecks forming in the roux, its burnt and it is best to throw it out and start over).
2. Use only fresh tomatoes, even if they're the supermarket hothouse variety.
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Etouffe Recipes
Etouffee
Definition: A Cajun dish-a kind of smothered stew served with rice, which may contain crayfish; and always contains something good.
Crayfish Etouffee
Ingredients:
1 small Bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup fish stock or clam juice
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound crayfish, peeled
1/2 cup chopped scallions, including the greens
Directions:
Comments:
Page updated on February 17, 1998