I love New Orleans for the food.  A po’boy, a beignet,  jambalaya, a moffoltta  sandwich. All this and more in the French Quarter.  My favorite is the shrimp etouffee.  With the weather getting colder and after spending a lot of the day at the local Christmas market, I decided I would take a crack at it.  Here are a few keys: you can’t rush a roux, everyone likes a different level of heat, and you can’t rush a roux!

1  small white onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

(those three combined are called the Trinity in New Orleans cooking)

2 carrot, diced (this is illegal in New Orleans, but I live Virginia)

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 pound peeled deveined shrimp –  26-30 count

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup flour

3 cups stock (I use low sodium chicken broth)

4 cups rice, cooked

4 oz white wine (this is for you to drink; it’s not going in the recipe)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bunch green onion, diced to put on top.

hot sauce to finish

In a large skillet on medium low, heat olive oil

Add flour and stir with a whisk

You are making a chocolate roux, so this will take some time you will have to keep stirring.  That’s what the wine was for.

Stir stir stir until the roux takes on a chocolate color, about 15 minutes; it will have a nutty smell

Add veggies

Add chicken stock

Cook until thick

Add cayenne pepper

Add Worcestershire sauce

Add shrimp and cook for 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink

Serve in a bowl

Add scoop of rice in the middle and top with green onion

You will want to have some hot sauce to add to your taste.