Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients

• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 ¾ teaspoons seafood spice blend
• ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ⅓ cup diced onion
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced celery
• ⅓ cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 ¾ cups seafood stock, or as needed
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon TABASCO Original Red Sauce, plus more for serving
• ¼ cup sliced green onions (scallions)
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Method

1. Drain the shrimp in a colander for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk ¾ teaspoon of the seafood sprinkle, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, the house seasoning, white pepper, black pepper and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Line a bowl with paper towels. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl and pat dry well. Remove the paper towels. Season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the spice blend and the remaining 1 teaspoon of the seafood sprinkle. Toss to coat the shrimp completely.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until the oil is smoking hot. Cook the shrimp in the hot oil, without stirring for 1 minute. Then stir and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until the shrimp juices accumulate in the bowl. Strain off the juices. There should be about ¼ cup. Add to the seafood stock for a total of 2 cups, adding more seafood stock if needed.
5. Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat until it begins to turn light brown at the edges. Sauté the onion, celery, and green pepper until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the remaining spice blend, sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of flour and continue to sauté until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until the tomato juices begin to brown on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the seafood stock and continue to stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy-like consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, sherry wine, lemon juice, and the TABASCO Original Red Sauce.
6. Season with additional spice blend or salt to taste. This is your etouffee sauce. Stir the shrimp into the sauce and let simmer until the shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent, about 1 minute.
7. Garnish with the green onions. Add a few more dashes of Original Red TABASCO Sauce. Pour over rice in large, shallow bowls. Enjoy!

Notes

The iconic Louisiana dish Etouffee (or Étouffée) is made with shrimp and the so-called holy trinity of onion, celery, and green bell pepper. This stew – typically served over rice – is a bona fide crowd-pleaser!