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Shrimp Etouffee Recipe

Read Before Starting
— Make sure the shrimp are peeled before you start – it takes a while to peel 4 pounds of shrimp. Note that you can use substitute crawfish for shrimp – it’s just as delicious!
— Do all the dicing of the veggies before you start. As you dice them, combine them in 3 separate bowls (all the step 2 veggies in one bowl, all the step 3 veggies in a second bowl, and all the step 6 veggies in a third bowl). That way, you just pour in the right bowl at the right time)
— Etouffee should be served over rice, so be sure to start the rice early enough. Plan for at least 30 minutes on the rice, but look at the instructions on the box.
— French bread goes really well with this meal.
— Note that the key to making excellent etouffee is in the roux! Be most careful with this. It’s easy to burn roux, and if you burn it, the recipe will be ruined.

Ingredients
3 cups butter, divided
1 cup flour
4 small onions, finely diced
1 cup finely dices bell pepper
1 1/2 cup finely dices celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions (the bottoms)
4 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic
6 tablespoons chicken bouillon
2 quarts water
4 pounds crawfish tails (or 4 pounds of shrimp, peeled)
1 cup chopped green onion (the tops)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Recipe
1. Make a roux like this: Combine 1 cup butter and 1 cup flour in a saucepan. Stir while cooking for 3 mins over medium-high heat; then keep warm (warm only! Otherwise it will be ruined if kept too hot. I usually just take it off the burner, turn the burner as low as it will go, and put it back on the warm burner after 5 mins or so).
2. In an 8-quart saucepan, add 1 cup butter, onion, bell pepper, celery, and green onion bottoms; cook over medium heat while stirring for 8 mins.
3. Add paprika, peppers, garlic, and chicken bouillon. Cook 2 more mins while stirring.
4. Add 2 quarts water, and bring to boil for 5 mins.
5. Add the roux, stirring well with a wire whip. Reduce heat to medium, and boil for 3 mins.
6. Add shrimp (or crawfish), onion tops, and parsley; then stir in last 1 cup butter. Turn heat to low. Let simmer 5 minutes (no longer or shrimp will get tough). Ladle over rice.