New Orleans Shrimp Stew Recipes

NEW ORLEANS GUMBO WITH SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour until combined and smooth. Switch to a wooden spoon and continuously stir for 15-22 minutes or until the roux darkens to just past a deep peanut butter color. Do not let the roux burn! (if you smell it burning, you will need to throw is out, clean the pot, and start over, unfortunately there's just no saving burnt roux!)
• Once the roux reaches that deep rich brown color, stir in the onions, bell peppers, and celery and continue to cook, stirring as needed so the vegetables don't stick. About 8-10 minutes or until the veggies soften. Add the garlic, andouille sausage (if using tofurky, do not add yet), and bay leaves. Continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic is nice and fragrant.
• Add the cajun seasoning, tabasco sauce, and cayenne along with the chicken broth and stewed tomatoes and bring to a high simmer before lowering the heat to medium-low, covering and simmering for 15-20 minutes.
• IF USING TOFURKY: Add a teaspoon of oil to a skillet over medium high heat. Add the slices and cook for a quick 90 seconds (turning half way) just to sear the outside before adding to the gumbo.
• Add the shrimp and tofurky (if using) to the gumbo, give it a stir and allow to continue to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque and the veggies have softened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Add the gumbo filé and stir. Remove bay leaves before serving.
• TO SERVE: Serve warm with white rice or quinoa with sliced scallions on top.

NEW ORLEANS SHRIMP

Steps:

• Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet; place over medium high heat. Heat oil until hot, but not smoking. Reduce heat to low, and add onion, celery, and green pepper. If using diced hot peppers, stir in now. Saute until the onion is soft; be careful not to burn onion. Remove vegetables from skillet, and wipe out excess liquid with paper towel.
• Return pan to heat. Melt butter in pan: let bubble, but do not allow butter to burn. Sprinkle flour over butter, and stir with wire whisk. Whisk in salt and black pepper. Whisking constantly, brown flour mixture until dry; this should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow roux to burn.
• Slowly whisk in hot fish stock . Increase heat slightly. Gradually whisk in beer; keep whisking until gravy thickens. Stir in vegetables. If gravy is too thick, gradually stir in warm water to dilute.
• Stir shrimp into gravy. Cook until pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and serve.

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

LOUISIANA SHRIMP STEW

Steps:

• Brown flour in a non stick skillet over medium heat. After flour is brown, set aside.
• In another pot, melt butter and saute onion, green onion, garlic, celery, parsley until done.
• Add tomato paste and stir until mixed.
• Add browned flour, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add water if necessary to thin a little.
• Add remaining seasonings and shrimp. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the shrimp are done. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
• Serve over hot rice.

NEW ORLEANS SHRIMP STEW

Steps:

• Make a roux by heating oil on medium-high heat in stock pot.
• Add flour to hot oil and continually whisk until your roux turn the color of peanut butter.
• Add chopped vegetables and stir immediately.
• Reduce heat to medium. Allow to cook 3 minutes, while stirring every minute.
• Add tomato paste and stir immediately. Allow to cook another 3 minutes, while stirring every minute.
• Slowly add 10 cups of water, chicken bouillon and Creole seasoning. Allow to slowly boil for 1 hour. Stir about every 15 minutes.
• Add raw shrimp and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Serve over cooked rice and garnish with 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped green onion in each bowl.

SHRIMP AND POTATO STEW

Steps:

• Season the shrimp with the Essence and transfer to the refrigerator until needed.
• Heat a large saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When hot, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring, until fragrant and pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 10 cups of water and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and discard solids. Set shrimp stock aside.
• In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the 1 cup vegetable oil and, when hot, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until a roux is formed the color of dark peanut butter, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and 2 tablespoons of parsley and cook for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, 8 cups of the reserved shrimp stock, the salt, cayenne, and black pepper and bring to just to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce is thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Add the andouille sausage and cook partially. Drain some of the fat and add shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, green onions and red chile pepper and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve immediately over hot white rice in shallow bowls.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.