[CH] Etouffee..or something like it [WUZ Re: Groovy Superhero (WUZ:
MachineGun (rael64@earthlink.net)
Fri, 24 Apr 1998 09:25:42 -0500
Twas Writ:
>Since you seem to be keeping your capsaicin soaked digits off the innocent
>young Firegirl I'll spare the rod. However you are required to publish the
>recipe for the "etouffee". It sounds a bit like ratatouille? Do you throw
>the shellfish in for a couple of minutes at the end?
Don't spare the rod on my account! Oh, sorry...wrong list. Hmmm...the
recipe. Okay, here goes. Think FireGirl's list of ingredients is correct
on her website so double check it for omissions (although she forgot that I
used some ground red savina in it...which I carried w/me on the trip;
gracias Brother Jim..). No measurements, just recollection of what I threw
in. And realize, we wanted to eat, not sit around and let stock cook down,
blah, blah...even forgot the pasta (rice is better tho...again, too
impatient) until the last minute. Consequently, it isn't traditional
really, but it wuz purty damn tasty...
Now if I had found some *crawfish* up thar...well, things woulda been
different...
Yield: about 5-6 servings
1/2 a medium onion, medium dice
4 indiv. stalks celery, medium dice
1 bell pepper (pick yer color..I like red), med. dice
garlic, to taste (used about 2 tsp...coulda used much more, IMO..)
tomato sauce, 2x-8 oz cans
chicken stock, one 14-16 oz can
thyme, I'm guessing about 1-2 tsp
basil, ditto
oregano, ditto ditto
salt to taste
ground red savina to taste
olive oil, abt. 1 tablespoon
flour, uh, a 1/4 cup? just enough to bind the veggies (see below)
believe that's it..
no, there was also a pound (bought, unpeeled, headless weight) of shrimp,
peeled, washed
Heat a stockpot on high heat (Lisa had a beautiful gas stove...hence my
excitement and agreement to cook whilst on vacation...okay, I wanted to
show off and see if I could still woo wimmenz with my culinary
skills...although I think it was the fact that I began to wash my dishes
afterwards that was "attractive"...hehe...). When very hot, add oil and
allow to heat/smoke.
Add veggies and stir. Don't let the garlic burn, but cook over the high
heat allowing them to sweat/soften. Add the herbs/spices (watch the
backlash from the savinas!), stirring/mixing well. Add the flour and mix
well. Mixture should thicken/"clump" up (you're making a roux, essentially).
Add one can of the tomato sauce and stir well. It should darken some (the
entire mix), but again, NO burning. Turn down heat if needed. RE: if any
time during the process things begin to burn, pull it from the heat.
Stir in the stock. Mix well. Add the rest of the tomato paste. Mix well.
Let the mixture come to a boil. Dump in the shrimpies and turn down to a
simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes and taste it frequently, adjusting
herbs, heat (chile), salt, etc.
Done.
I was satisfied with the result. Wasn't *really* hot in terms of chile,
but I wasn't sure of FireGirl's friend Lisa's chilehead rating. I think it
was just right though. Well balanced. Think I'm gonna see if I can talk
the chef at work into letting me offer crawfish etouffee as a special
tonight....and call in the 18 year old banquet manager for a nibble of my
culinary delights. She is the definition of a nubile to make a grown man
whimper like a dog (that he is..). Of course, I'll hate myself in the
morning...
Eat 'em up, yum.
Peace, Hendrix, and Chiles.......
Rael
rael64@earthlink.net
Redneck Sous Chef
Monk of the TCS
Order of Immaculate Twister
Keeper of the Faith
and a Towel...