With all the news going on these days it seems this Tuesday’s Mardi Gras has just gotten lost in the noise. This fabulous food fest…celebration of eating…gluttony galore…has totally snuck up on us. We tend to think of Mardi Gras as an American tradition but “Fat Tuesday” dates back to Medieval Times and people from around the world, from Rio to Venice to New Orleans and beyond, gorge themselves with as much rich food as they can stomach before the fasting days of Lent. Shrimp Étouffée, or “smothered” shrimp, is just one of those rich Cajun dishes presented on that great day of gluttony. And it’s easy for any galley chef to create.

There is a variety of étouffée recipes out there, many that use tomatoes blended into the vegetables and roux. This Galley Pirates recipe features the “Holy Trinity” (the chopped celery/green pepper/onion staple in Cajun cooking) along with jalapeños and garlic, but omitting tomatoes, which I think adds an acidity that does not compliment the rich flavor of the shrimp. We have another étouffée on GP that my Louisiana-located co-pirate created that uses crawfish, Easter Étouffée. Give these recipes a try and see what you think. And please let us know your thoughts!

If you’re short on time and/or ingredients, feel free to use a canned stock or bouillon. The best stock to use would be a shrimp or lobster stock. Clam juice can be used as well. If you have the time and want to keep this authentic, use the recipe below to create a great fresh shrimp stock. It’s easier than you think!

Shrimp Stock

Shells (including tails) from 1.5 pounds of shrimp
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (do not seed)
Top of 1 green pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
4 bay leaves
8 cups (2 quarts) water

Peel the shrimp and throw the shells, including tails, into a stock pot. Add the copped onion, jalapeño, green pepper, garlic, celery and bay leaves. Pour water to cover.

Simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes.

Strain the stock into a large pan and discard the shells and vegetables. Set strained broth aside.

Etouffée

1/3 cup vegetable oil or lard
1/3 cup flour
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups shrimp stock (add more as needed)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt if needed
1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled, de-tailed (save the shells for shrimp stock)
3 green onions, chopped
Hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco, to taste

Chop the Holy Trinity…celery, green pepper and onion. Mince the jalapeños and garlic. Set aside.

Now start the roux. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the flour and stir vigorously until smooth. The roux will darken as you cook this, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Be patient. Cook until it reaches a medium brown in color, about 10 minutes.

Add the vegetables and cook in the roux for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add 3 cups of broth to the pot and stir as it thickens. Let it come to a slow boil and keep an eye on it as it thickens.

Add the spices. Tony Chachere’s is alway a NOLA favorite. Add the cayenne and white pepper to taste. White pepper is a great Cajun spice that does not have a bite, but rather a slow mellow warming.

Add the shrimp to the pot and cook for at least five minutes until opaque. Add more stock if it is too thick. Adjust seasonings. Take off the heat and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Serve with white rice. Laissez les bon temps rouler!