Shrimp Etouffee

This is another comfort food from Louisiana. We had this growing up at least every 2 weeks. My uncles and my dad would go out shrimping and I would sometimes go to pull heads off the shrimp as they were brought into the boat. You can't get any fresher shrimp than that. They didn't catch them to sale, they were for anyone in the family that wanted them and of course no one turned them down. I did not add the time it takes to clean the shrimp to the prep time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons flour
• 6  tablespoons butter or 6  tablespoons shortening or 6  tablespoons  oil
• 1  cup onion, chopped
• 6  green onions with tops, chopped
• 1  bell pepper, chopped
• 1  cup celery, chopped (optional)
• 2  cups water
• 1⁄4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  tablespoon  tony chacherie's  cajun seasoning
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 3  lbs shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Directions

1. Make a roux with the flour and butter by heating the butter and stirring in the flour.
2. On medium low cook the roux until it turns a rich chocolate brown. This will take awhile, maybe 45 minutes to get it right. You don't want it to burn or you can't use it.
3. Keep an eye on it but you don't have to stand over the pot the whole time.
4. When roux is ready:
5. Add all of the veggies and cook until tender.
6. Stir in the water slowly. When combined with the roux add the parsley, shrimp and seasonings. Cook another 15-20 minutes or until shrimp are done, they will turn pink or red when done. Remove bay leaf. Taste seasonings--you may need to add salt.
7. Serve over hot cooked rice. Now this is when you add a pinch or two of gumbo filet'. You may want to add a splash of Louisiana hot sauce too. I always do. Gumbo filet' is actually sassafras root or bark. I was taught that it is added to your plate and not cooked in with the food.
8. I always serve this dish with garlic bread and sweet green peas on the side but that is up to you.