Wow was this a hit! Made it for a pot luck super bowl party and it was gone in 30 minutes. Lots of flavor with several alterations from some basic recipes.

2 lbs raw, deveined shrimp (tails off) OR 3 lbs crawfish tails if you can find them!

2/3 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup melted butter

1/2 cup flour

1 medium yellow onion chopped

1/2 cup chopped green onions

6 stalks chopped celery

1 medium chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

5 minced garlic cloves

5 bay leaves

1 cup chopped tomato

2 – 3 cups shrimp stock

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1.5 tbsp Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning

1.5 tbsp old bay

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1-2 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce

Directions:

Assemble all ingredients before starting to cook!

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium/high heat. Once melted and bubbling, sprinkle the flour over top and mix with a rubber spatula until a smooth paste forms. If your paste is very thin, add a little bit more flour. Keep stirring and cooking over medium heat until roux turns the color of peanut butter. It will smell nutty and delicious.

Add the chopped onions, celery, green onions, bell pepper, garlic and parsley to the hot roux. Cook the vegetables until they soften—about three to five minutes. Stir continuously.

Add the diced tomatoes and bay leaves along with seafood stock. Add additional stock if mixture looks too thick (I added extra). It should be thick, but be a sauce-like or stew-like consistency. Mix well so there are no lumps. Cook on low for 15 minutes.

Add cayenne, Tony Chachere’s, Louisiana hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil and slide in shrimp. Reduce heat to low and simmer until shrimp are done, about 15 minutes.

Serve Étouffée with rice, mashed potatoes and/or crusty rolls for dipping with extra Louisiana hot sauce on the side!

Optional Shrimp Stock:

• Shells from 2 pounds of shrimp
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• top and bottom from 1 green pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 5 bay leaves

Ingredients

• 1  French bread loaf
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

French Bread

1. 1. Cut bread loaf in half lengthwise. Brush melted butter evenly onto cut sides of bread halves.
2. 2. Stir together onion, jalapeño pepper, and next 5 ingredients, and spread mixture evenly over buttered sides of bread halves. Place bread halves, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet, and sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes; cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices, and serve immediately.