Inspired by Treebeards and Mary’s Crawfish Etouffee.
1 cup butter – 2 sticks
2-2/3 cups chopped celery (1/2-inch pieces)
2 medium onions, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 small bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 rounded teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
2 cups shrimp stock made by boiling, for an hour or so, the shrimp shells with a celery, onion, bay leaves and pepper corns.
1/2 teaspoon Chrystal hot pepper sauce
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped green onions (including tops)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley – did not have any
4 teaspoons tomato paste
1 lb. vac pack frozen headless shrimp and 1 lb. chaurice (our homemade version).
The Process
- Before any chopping – shell the shrimp and start the shrimp stock simmering in a medium covered pot.
- In the blue enamel cast-iron dutch oven, with a couple tablespoons of bacon grease, saute until browned the thawed, home-made, loose vac-packed, chaurice. Removed the meat leaving the drippings.
- Add the butter to the drippings and stir until melted and hot.
- Add celery, onion and bell pepper. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and celery is still almost crunchy.
- When onions are translucent, add flour to simmering vegetables. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
- Remove the shrimp hulls and combine spices, shrimp stock, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce over low heat until almost hot.
- Pour into the veggies the seasoned hot stock and cook until pot bubbles. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
- Stir in green onions, parsley, and tomato paste and simmer until vegetables are tender. Cover and let sit until 30 minutes.
- Add shrimp and the browned chaurice cooking only until the shrimp are done.
- Serve over rice.
