Etouffee

Going to Louisiana and hanging around in the "Big Easy" is on my bucket list.  I'm pretty sure it's on most people's lists.  The mysteries of the region are intriguing - the way the dead are celebrated, the parties and parades, the voodoo, the food, the history.  And I really want to learn more about the FOOD part.

The cuisine from Louisiana is a beautiful dance of Cajun and Creole - which are actually pretty similar, except for the areas the dishes come from.  Cajun typically refers to "country food" and Creole refers to "city food", and both have heavy influences of French bases.

Cajun food is slightly more simple and is typically well seasoned - but not SPICY, and most dishes will start with a base of onions, celery, and green peppers (the French "mirepoix" uses carrots).  

Creole food is influenced by a variety of cultures borne from the settlers of French colonial Louisiana.  Creole cooking uses a wide variety of ingredients and spices not typically available to Cajun kitchens.

As mentioned before, seasoning is really important in both Cajun and Creole cooking.  The roux is also an important element of many dishes.  There are the "colors" of roux are chosen typically depending on the type of meat being used in the dish.  Blond or light roux is usually used for seafood gumbos, Medium roux (about the color of peanut butter) is most common in Creole dishes and is most versatile, and a dark roux - often cooked to the color of chocolate - is best for gumbos using chicken and sausage.   But this also depends on where the dish is being prepared, by who, and maybe just how they feel that day.  The roux may also be slightly different depending on if the fat base is butter or oil.  An oil roux will typically result in achieving a very dark roux.  And getting to a very dark roux is tricky and requires a lot of attention.

So the big question.  Is Etouffee Cajun or Creole?  

Both.  But they may have slight differences depending on what kitchen the dish is being prepared in.

Linked and overlapped and combined, but still different.  Complex and mysterious.  

With this recipe, I made a medium roux.

First - put together the spice mix.

Salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, black pepper, and a little cayenne.

Stir it all together and then set aside.

Next up is the roux.  This roux has an oil base - which I was actually initially a little weirded out by.  I'm used to a butter based roux - and I was tempted to just do that, but I wanted to try it at least.

Start heating the oil over medium heat and add the flour.

Whisk constantly.  Be patient.  Let the mixture come to the color of peanut butter.  

Remove the flour mixture from the heat and set aside.

Next up is to start the veggie base of the dish.

Heat some oil in a large pan on medium-high heat and then add in the onion, celery, and green pepper.  

Don't be like me and add the tomatoes at this point.  Luckily they didn't all make it into the pan.  (read your recipe COMPLETELY!)

Cook, stirring often, until the veggies are browned and softened.  

Stir in the seasoning mix that was made earlier.

Stir in the tomatoes and thyme and cook until the tomatoes are cooked through.

Add in the roux and stir together.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook until thickened.

Add in the shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp are cooked through - about five minutes.

If you've made the Voodoo Shrimp that I had posted about before - you'll know that dish packs a fairly wicked punch.  I even REDUCED the original level of heat in that dish to make it bearable!

This etouffee was lovely - cozy and comforting, the sauce richly flavoured - but not spicy.  It's wonderful comfort food.

It's the perfect kick off to learning a new cuisine in my opinion!

Enjoy!

Etouffee

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

4 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

3 cups chicken or seafood stock

1 pound fresh shrimp

Rice for serving

1. Combine the salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Make the roux by heating 2 Tablespoons cooking oil in a small pot over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour (this will make a paste).  Continue cooking and whisking the mixture until it becomes brown, it should be a little darker than peanut butter - this should take about  7 - 8 minutes.  Watch it closely so it doesn't burn.  Once it reaches the color desired, remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a large frying pan (or skillet) over medium-high heat, start heating 2 Tablespoons of oil.  Stir in the onion, green peppers, and celery.  Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are browned and softened, about 7 - 8 minutes.  Stir in the seasoning mix and cook for another minute to infuse the veggies with the seasoning.  Add the tomatoes and thyme and cook until the tomatoes are cooked through.
4. Stir in the roux.  Deglaze the pot to get all the roux out.
5. Stir in the stock and heat until boiling.  Allow to cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling.
6. Add the shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
7. Serve over rice.

Source:  The Novice Gardener