A Cajun Classic

You can serve it on fine china at formal gatherings or down-home style right from the pot on the stove.

Étouffée (ay-too-FAY) isn't just a fancy-sounding name-it's Cajun comfort food at its best. The thick, spicy mixture of crawfish, shrimp, or crab (or a combination of these) with onions and peppers is cooked in a light gravy and then served with rice. It's one of those classic recipes that's perfect just as it is, so there's no need to change anything.

These recipes call for fresh crawfish, crabmeat, and shrimp because they're readily available in Cajun country. Don't fret if you can't get your hands on the fresh seafood-frozen crawfish tails and frozen uncooked shrimp work very well. Whether you're hosting a fancy party or serving a weeknight dinner, bring étouffée to the table for a bowl of Cajun goodness. -ANDRIA scon HURST

Crab-and-Shrimp Étouffée

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN., COOK: 27 MIN.

2 Ib. unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp*

¼ cup butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped green bell pepper

¼ cup chopped celery

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

¼ cup chopped green onions

1 Tbsp. low-sodium Creole seasoning

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. hot sauce

1 (16-oz.) container fresh crabmeat, drained and flaked

5 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.

2. Melt butter with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until caramel colored. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and celery; cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add minced garlic, and sauté 1 minute.

3. Stir in chicken broth, white wine, and next 6 ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Add shrimp. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

4. Stir in crabmeat; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.

5. Spoon shrimp mixture into individual serving bowls. Spoon hot cooked rice on top of shrimp mixture. Garnish, if desired.

*2 ( 16-oz.) packages frozen unpeeled, raw shrimp, thawed according to package directions, may be substituted.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Tony Chachere's Lite Creole Seasoning.

Crawfish Étouffée

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 35 MIN., COOK: 22 MIN.

¼ cup butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large shallot, chopped

2 tsp. Cajun seasoning

½ tsp. ground red pepper

1 (14-oz.) can low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh chives

2 Ib. cooked, peeled crawfish tails*

hot cooked rice

1. Melt butter with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until caramel colored. Add onion and next 6 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Add chicken broth, parsley, and chives; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and bubbly.

3. Stir in crawfish; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with hot cooked rice.

*2 Ib. frozen cooked crawfish tails, thawed and drained, may be substituted for fresh.

A combination of two favorites-fresh seafood and rice-tastes great in Crab-and Shrimp Étouffée.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Aug 2007
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