Cooking Lesson #184 Instant Pot Shrimp Étouffée

The 2020 Holidays Recipe Collection

How you doin’? New Orleans is one the most enticing cities in America. It is a patchwork quilt of many different cultures and nationalities. It is a bustling international port city situated on the banks of the gulf and the Mississippi River. It was once a refuge for pirates and a smuggling capital for the Confederates during the Civil War. It has its own heritage and attractions and once you’ve been there you will want to go back whenever possible.
 
Great food, drink and music are important parts of what brings people to New Orleans.  Shrimp Étouffée (pronounced ‘eh-too-fay’) is one of the more popular dishes from Louisiana, along with gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and shrimp creole. The word ‘étouffée’ is translated from French as “smothered and can be made with crawfish or shrimp. Shrimp Étouffée is one of the most iconic classic New Orleans recipes that people crave. Étouffée is made with Creole spices and plenty of shrimp in a spicy tomato-based sauce.  The rich and delicious stew tastes great served over rice. This recipe is perfect for Mardi Gras parties, but is also so easy that you could make a regular weekday meal extra special.
 
I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp—peeled and de-veined—in my freezer so I don’t have to run out to the store at the last minute when I want to make a quick Instant Pot entrée dinner!
 
Instant Pot Shrimp Étouffée is similar to Instant Pot Gumbo, but there are a few differences.

• This étouffée is made with shrimp whereas the Instant Pot Gumbo has shrimp, sausage and chicken.
• Étouffée is made with a blonde roux (pronounced ‘roo’ it is flour and oil/butter cooked together) compared to the dark roux in the gumbo.  This changes the taste of the sauce and reduces the cooking time!
• I use olive oil and flour for the roux in the gumbo, but for the étouffée I use unsalted butter and flour.
• The gumbo recipe also has okra for thickening, Étouffée doesn’t.
• Some people prefer shrimp étouffée without tomatoes. I have made this with tomatoes. You can omit the tomatoes if you wish.
• I add a tablespoon of tomato puree with the tomatoes to give the dish more of a sweet tomato flavor.
• I use seafood stock because there is marked taste difference from  chicken broth. It’s really easy to make homemade seafood stock; you can even make it ahead of time. Just peel the shrimp and toss the shrimp shells and some aromatics to the Instant Pot and go about your business!  Strain and store in the fridge (up to a couple of days) until ready to use. Or use Better Than Bouillon Fish base to save time.

 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, divided (see homemade recipe below)
4 tablespoons unsalted  butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup diced yellow onions
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups seafood stock (I prefer Better Than Boullion Fish Base)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato puree (I always have a tube of tomato paste in the refrigerator)
2 tablespoons dry sherry (for finishing)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, green tops only
Chopped parsley to garnish
12 crawfish, cooked (optional; 2 per bowl for garnish)
 
Directions

1. Rub the dry shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning; set aside.
2. Press SAUTÉ and when the Instant Pot has heated, melt the butter in the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
3. Add the all-purpose flour to the inner pot and cook butter and flour until the mixture resembles a light caramel color, stirring frequently, and being careful not to burn. This will take about 5 minutes.
4. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Stir until vegetables are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in remaining Creole seasoning, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, salt.
6. Using a spatula, scrape the bottom of the inner pot to make sure there are no burnt bits stuck to the bottom. Deglaze with a tablespoon or two of stock if needed.
7. Add seafood stock, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and stir.
8. Add tomatoes and tomato puree and gently push down with a spatula; don't stir.
9. Close the Instant Pot and set to PRESSURE COOK mode for 10 MINUTES.
10. Do a 10-MINUTE NATURAL RELEASE and open the Instant Pot.
11. Immediately stir in the shrimp and sherry and close the lid of the Instant Pot for 10 MINUTES. The shrimp will cook in the residual heat.
12. Open the Instant Pot again and gently stir the shrimp.
13. Ladle Shrimp Étouffée over Jasmine Rice or steamed rice of your choice.
14. Sprinkle the Shrimp Étouffée with green onions and parsley.
15. Place two crawfish atop each bowl (if using).
16. Serve piping hot.

ChefSecret:  I like my Louisiana food to finish on a spicy note and use a dash or two of Tabasco sauce to liven up the dish. You can serve Shrimp Étouffée over pasta or even grits instead of rice.
 
                                                   Ed’s Cajun Seasoning
 
You probably have all these ingredients on your spice shelf. Use Cajun Seasoning on all types of foods—broiled steaks and chicken, soups, pasta and salads. I also use it in the flour mixture of my fried chicken.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  2 minutes
Yield: About 1/2 cup.
 
Ingredients
4 teaspoons garlic powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or less if you don't want it as hot)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. Place all the spices in a sauté pan and toast for about 2 minutes. Cool.
2. Transfer the spices to a coffee grinder or a blender and pulse until you get a very fine powder.
3. Store in an airtight jar in a dark, cool place until ready to use.
4. For optimal flavor use within 2 months.

ChefSecret:  Cooking the spices releases all the volatile oils and helping the flavors to blossom.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  Arguing with a woman (and many men, too!) during the pandemic is like reading a Software License agreement. In the end you must ignore everything and click, “I agree.”
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

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