Growing up in Houston, Cajun food has long been a staple of my diet. Gumbo, po'boys, boudain, red beans and rice, crawfish -- you name it. I love it all. And, of course, who could forget about shrimp etouffee? Just the thought of a big bowl of shrimp etouffee over fluffy rice makes me smile.
Naturally, when my latest shrimp etouffee craving hit, I happily decided to make a batch. At the same time, I want to take advantage of summer cooking while it’s still in season. That’s when it hit me. Why not make a shrimp etouffee filled with farm-fresh ingredients? A summer shrimp etouffee if you will. Yep, sounds good to me.
For a fun summer spin, this shrimp etouffee includes fresh corn, heirloom tomatoes, basil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. So let's start cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, you need to make a roux, which is simply whisking equal parts melted butter and flour until the mixture is close to the color of peanut butter or a light caramel. This shouldn't take too long -- under 10 minutes -- but don't get lazy and move on before the magic happens. The roux is the flavor foundation of a good etouffee, so you don't want to skimp on this step.
Once the roux is good and ready, add the fresh corn and Cajun food's famous Holy Trinity: green bell peppers, celery and onion. Cook those veggies for about 10 minutes and then add plenty of white wine to the pot for good measure. I like using a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc for this recipe. After the wine cooks down, stir in some seafood stock, preferably my homemade recipe, and two cups of diced heirloom tomatoes and be sure to include that delicious tomato juice.
At this point, I also add a couple bay leaves, a few dashes of hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. When cooking Cajun food, I'm partial to Louisiana Hot Sauce, which I included in a link below. This hot sauce adds some heat with a vinegary tang, which I love, but you can use whatever you like.
For the Cajun seasoning, you can use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own. I prefer to make my own, so the recipe is included below. The seasoning blend only takes a few minutes to prepare, and you'll have plenty of leftover for other fun meals. Grilled and blackened meats are delicious with this Cajun seasoning, and it's even great to sprinkle on pizza.
After the mixture simmers for about 45 to 50 minutes, add the shrimp and cook just until pink. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley, basil and lemon juice. Spoon a big ladle of etouffee over white rice and you're ready to eat.
Perfect Pairing
You can certainly reach for the pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc you used to cook this recipe. For a dish with a heavy tomato presence, both are good choices. If you'd like to get crazy and mix things up, a Chianti is another good option, especially when the tomatoes are cooked. A good Chianti delivers that snappy acidity but also has the body to stand up to the thick stew.
I also like a biere de garde with this summer shrimp etouffee. Bière de garde is a French-style farmhouse ale with a strong malt presence. The malty sweetness matches well with the corn and tomatoes while contrasting with the Cajun spices.
I hope you take advantage of these final summer weeks with a big batch of summer shrimp etouffee. This recipe is the perfect way to use that fresh summer produce, and I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and please leave a comment if you try this recipe. I’d love to hear from you.
Cheers!
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Summer Shrimp Etouffee
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Description
For a fun twist on shrimp etouffee, this recipe uses sweet corn, fresh heirloom tomatoes, basil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ingredients
For Summer Shrimp Etouffee
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped onions
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 corn ears, kernels removed
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 cup dry white wine, such as a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
2 cups heirloom tomatoes, diced with juice
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought
A few dashes of hot sauce
4 cups seafood stock, homemade or store-bought (see note)
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ lemon, juiced
½ salt to taste
Rice for serving
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in flour and continuously whisk for about seven minutes. The roux should take on the color of peanut butter.
- Stir in the onions, bell peppers, celery, corn and garlic and cook for 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Pour in white wine and cook until mostly evaporated. Stir in the heirloom tomatoes, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning and seafood stock.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high to bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer. Stir every so often and cook for 45-50 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cook just until the turn pink. As soon as they cook, turn off the heat. You don't want the shrimp to overcook. Stir in parsley, basil and lemon juice. Taste and add salt if necessary but don't feel obligated. Serve over fluffy white rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- I definitely recommend using a seafood stock as opposed to substituting chicken stock. Seafood stock adds such a different flavor than chicken stock, so the result won't be the same. My homemade seafood stock is a delicious option and my preferred ingredient, but if you need to use a store-bought version, I'd go with Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base or More Than Gourmet Classic Seafood Stock.
- Category: Soups and Stews
Keywords: shrimp etouffee, Cajun cooking, Cajun meals, Cajun food
Chef Mireille says
etouffee is one of my fave cajun dishes and I haven't had it in years - you are making me miss it so much
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Cajun food is the best! It makes me feel all happy on the inside. Hope you get a chance to try it and enjoy it!
Stephanie Simmons says
Oh wow this looks so delicious!! I'm not a huge seafood fan but I think this would be absolutely scrumptious!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! You could also try it with chicken, and I'm sure it'd be delicious. I'd brown the chicken before making the roux and then toss it back into the pot when you add the tomatoes. Hope you like it!
Jacqueline Debono says
This dish looks delicious. I had never heard of shrimp etoufee before reading this post. So I looked it up! It sounds so good both in your version and the traditional one!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Nice! I’m sure you’ll love either version. Etouffee is delicious. Hope you enjoy!
Stacy Streuli says
Ah, yum! I'm a Texan abroad and this look soooo good, I'm going to have to make it soon. Love Cajun food!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
There’s some goooood food in Texas! That’s easily what I miss most. Hope you love it!
Adriana Lopez Martin says
Looks so colorful and fulfilling I bet it is comforting too. Just by starting it with a roux that is a sign this is a good comforting meal. I have shrimps in the freezer need to make this dish during the weekend
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks! For sure. I love just about any dish with a good roux. Hope you enjoy!
Linda says
I'm in love with this dish already! Like you, I'm a fan of Cajun (shrimp cajun is my weakness, lol) and I bet this will be a favorite at our home.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Nice! Aren't shrimp Cajun dishes the best? I hope you enjoy!
Tara says
I love the colors, and it sounds so flavorful with the wine, the roux, and the fresh basil and produce. I'm allergic to shrimp but thinking I can make this with white fish cut into bite-sized pieces. I don't know a lot about wine so it's really helpful to have your pairing suggestions too!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! A white fish sounds like a great idea. It makes me want to make another batch and try it with fish. 🙂
Vanessa says
What a perfectly light and delicious summer meal! I like that it has a lot of fresh herbs!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks! I’m trying to get my fill in while I can.
Gloria says
NOLA is one place I would LOVE to visit for the food. I am always excited to find recipes like this. At least I can make this at home....but I still want to visit there one day too. Delicious...can't wait to give this a try.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You definitely have to visit NOLA sometime! There's no other city like it, and the food -- swoon. Hope you enjoy this recipe in the meantime!
Dikla Frances says
This dish looks do fresh colorful and beautiful!!! Thank you for all the details tips, it really makes a whole lot of difference!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! It's good to know those little details are appreciated. 🙂
Michelle says
My mouth started to water as soon as I saw your pics! Plus I love your blog name, keep up the good work!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Awww, thank you so much!
Kelly Anthony says
I'm adding this to my list of things to cook next week. This looks so good and I love the wine pairing suggestion you added.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks, Kelly! I hope you enjoy it. Wine makes everything better.
Stine Mari says
That looks so tasty! All those fresh Summer produce. And I love your writing, it's fun and personal.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you so much for those kind words! I'm trying to get my summer produce fill in while it lasts. 🙂