My mom sent me a brand-new rice cooker for my birthday. If you don't already have one of these wonderful little devices, you are missing out on some easy (and cheap) grub. It's treat for keeping a ready supply of hot steamed rice, sure, but it makes short work of Rice-A-Roni boxed dinners as well.
Rice is one of the staple side-dishes for most Cajun dishes. If you've got a batch of rice ready, and if you are in the mood for something spicy, give this recipe a shot.
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Trav's Shrimp Etouffee
(lower-cholesterol version)
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 medium onions, slivered
6 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 C. vegetable stock (maybe more, see below)
2 t. cayenne pepper*
1 T. Tabasco sauce*
1 T. salt
2 lbs. peeled and veined shrimp
Steamed rice
First, make the roux: cook the oil and flour together in a heavy stock pot, over medium-low heat and stirring constantly, until it turns reddish-brown in color. (Be careful...it will burn easily, and you will have to start all over.)
When the roux is the desired color, immediately add the peppers, onions, garlic, and celery. Cook over medium heat until the onions are transparent (about 15 minutes).
Add all remaining ingredients, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the shrimp is cooked. The mixture may thicken while cooking; add more stock if necessary to give it the desired consistency. Taste the gravy and adjust the seasonings.
Serve immediately over steamed rice, with lots of hot bread on the side and a good, cold beer.
*Use this amount for a "medium" level of spiciness. If you like it hot, use double this amount...and if you want it mild, use half. And there is nothing wrong with skipping the spice altogether, and putting the Tabasco and cayenne out on the table as condiments.
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Variations
(because everyone is different)
1. This recipe isn't just for shrimp...it is equally good with crawfish, scallops, oysters, crab, and clams, too. If you are allergic to shellfish, you can use pre-cooked chicken, ham, smoked sausage, chopped pork, or any combination thereof.
2. If you are vegetarian, you can make a wonderful mushroom etouffee by using 2 or 3 pounds of your favorite fresh mushrooms. Sautee those 'shrooms in a little bit of olive oil until they are shriveled (to concentrate their flavor), then add them to the recipe in place of the shrimp. Even the carnivores will love it.
