Best Deep South Shrimp And Crawfish Stew Recipes

CREOLE SHRIMP STEW

Steps:

• 1. Cook a pot of white rice, drain, rinse once with cold water to stop cooking process and set aside.
• 2. In large saucepan or medium stockpot, over medium heat, make a medium brown roux with 2 T. butter & flour, stirring constantly. (See Note below) ***If you can find Roux in a jar at the grocery store, use that to make this quick and easy.***
• 3. Once roux reaches color slightly darker than peanut butter, reduce heat to medium low and add onion, green onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, parsley to the roux and stir very frequently until vegetables are tender. I like to keep mine in the roux mixture for 15-20 minutes. Vegetables will start to blend with roux to make a paste - that's when it's ready for the next step.
• 4. Add tomato paste and sauce; stir to blend in with seasoning mixture and reduce heat to lowest setting. Let flavors blend, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.
• 5. Begin adding stock as needed, stirring constantly to keep smooth. As it heats up and thickens add more stock to reach a medium soup consistency. Simmer for at least 20 minutes, but the longer you simmer it, the better it gets. Keep heat on low and stir frequently. If sauce starts to get too thick add a little stock or water. Add creole seasoning and taste - add salt, pepper & adjust seasonings as needed.
• 6. Add the raw shrimp and cook for 10 minutes until shrimp are completely cooked and start to curl up. If using pre-cooked crawfish or lump crabmeat add that about 5 minutes before you're ready to eat and heat through. Taste again and adjust seasonings because the shrimp will absorb some of the salt from the sauce. Serve in deep bowl over white rice and french bread. Garnish with chopped fresh basil if desired.
• 7. *NOTE: You can make a roux in a 4 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave. Combine butter and flour, and nuke on high at 30 second intervals, stirring after each. Cook until desired color. I like to stop my roux at the peanut butter color stage. *TIP: DON'T throw away those shrimp heads and peels. Freeze them in a little water and save until you have enough to make shrimp stock.
• 8. *OPTIONS: You can substitute shrimp with crawfish tails, lump crabmeat and/or scallops

SHRIMP AND CRAWFISH ETOUFEE

Steps:

• For the Etouffee: Heat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Saute the trinity (peppers, onions and celery). Add the garlic, and saute until slightly tender. Add the Roux and deglaze with some rum to help break it down (it will flame up). Add 1 to 2 cups purified water to form a sauce. Add in the shrimp, crawfish, pepper, salt and thyme. Reduce the flame to a medium-low simmer. Add Mama's Green Creole Sauce. Stir constantly making sure the roux doesn't burn and is completely dissolved. Taste periodically to confirm desired taste. Simmer 10 to 20 minutes, until the etoufee reaches desired thickness.
• For Mama's Creole Herb Rice: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cook the brown rice in 1 cup water, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cook the white rice in 1 cup water in a rice steamer.
• After both are cooked, empty the pans onto a cookie sheet. Mix the rice and toss with the oil, thyme and salt to taste.
• Drench the etoufee over the rice, and serve.
• Place 2 cups water, the lemon juice, oil, salt, garlic, jalapenos, green onions, yellow onions, bell peppers and parsley in a blender and process until a sauce is formed. If the blender is not large enough, you can make it in two batches.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the flour and stir until mixture is creamy and there are no lumps. Turn the heat down low and keep stirring until the mixture reaches the desired color (a medium or dark brown). Be careful and pay attention as not to burn the roux-- after it reaches a certain shade of brown it will begin to brown faster.