Étouffée is a traditional New Orleans one-pot dish whose name literally—and appropriately—comes from the French word for “smothered.” Like gumbo, étouffée is a highly seasoned stew of fish or meat and vegetables that is served over steamed rice. Also like gumbo, it has a big-hearted, homey quality that makes it one of my favorite dishes to serve to crowds (especially when they include friends who aren’t from the South). Although serious purists might disapprove, I never make étouffée the same way twice, and I don’t take sides when it comes to never-ending debates about the proper shade of roux or whether there’s room for tomatoes in a bona fide étouffée. For me, one of the joys of Cajun and Creole stews is their variability, so feel free to experiment.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until sizzling hot (see Know-how, page 100). Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly with a long-handled whisk, until the mixture changes from light to golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the heat to low if the flour starts browning too quickly.
Step 2
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes more, until the onion is soft and golden, the celery and peppers begin to soften, and the roux turns a reddish brown. Add the tomato and garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute longer.
Step 3
Slowly add 1 cup of the broth, stirring constantly, until all is incorporated. Add the remaining 3 cups broth and stir to combine and form a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick.
Step 4
Add the shrimp, crawfish, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the thyme, and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are bright pink and the crawfish deep red and just cooked through. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve warm over steamed white or Streak o’ Green Dirty Rice topped with the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.
Sara’s Swaps
Step 5
You can make this étouffée with most any type of shellfish, including oysters, lobsters, and scallops. It is delicious, as well, with chicken or duck or, for a little spice, andouille sausage.’
Chew on this: About Crawfish
Step 6
In most other parts of the country, crawfish go by the name crayfish and are more likely to be kept as aquarium pets than served for dinner. Not in the South, and especially not in Louisiana, which supplies just shy of 100 percent of the crawfish consumed in the United States. This freshwater delicacy, which looks sort of like a miniature lobster, has the sweet, buttery flavor of its crustaceous cousins. These days, you can have live crawfish delivered right to your door, so check out Sources (page 377) for online suppliers and give it a shot.
