Friday, August 5, 2011

Cajun Shrimp Etouffee + Three Ways to Become a Cajun

The fresh Gulf shrimp were on sale at my favorite seafood market, and I couldn't resist buying 5 pounds to cook for guests that I was having over for dinner last night. I had a strong ahnvie for a shrimp etouffee with some fried, on the side, since I hadn't made this delightful combo in a very long time. This spicy stew is chocked full of wonderful flavors and the succulent fried shrimp is my fave. Worthy of blowing your diet for, cher, I can assure you! And totally worth the calories! You can always dance them off!  Bon appetit!

Cajun Shrimp Etouffee 

2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and diveined
1 cup each of chopped onions and bell peppers
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup fresh okra, sliced
2 tsp.'s minced garlic
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup of chopped green onions
1 tbs. or more Cajun Seasoning
Salt and Tabasco to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups of water or seafood stock

2 lemons, quartered
3 bay leaves
5 tbs.'s butter
5 tbs.'s flour


Squeeze the juice of one lemon on shrimp and season with Cajun seasoning and set aside. 


Chop and slice the veggies.

Melt the butter in a large heavy pot, on low heat. Add the flour and stir constantly, until a light to medium brown color is reached. (about 10 minutes)


Lower heat and add the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, okra, and tomatoes, and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a small amount of water,  if necessary.

Slowly add the stock or water, and a little more seasoning. Bring to a boil, add seasoned shrimp, and stir. Lower heat, add the juice of other lemon, and cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Add the parsley and green onions, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Discard bay leaves and serve over hot cooked rice with a garden salad and garlic bread. Ca cest bon!


For my fried shrimp recipe, click here.


Three Ways to Become a Cajun

 They say that there are three ways to become a Cajun.

1. By the blood




2. By the ring


 
3. By the back door

This last way has about as many different meanings as there are Cajuns. There are even several songs that have been written about it. 














Cajun Boogie

Here's a little clip of Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express playing the song, entitled "The Back Door", and singing in Cajun French, which offers one meaning , but by no means the only one. Let the good times roll, cher!



Wishing all of you a fun and fabulous weekend! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!

30 comments:

Dee said...

I wish I liked seafood, your dishes always look so yummy! Have a great weekend cher'!

ellen abbott said...

I am heartbroken that our little local fresh seafood shop (the guy had his own boat) closed, a victim of the ruined economy. He has another (or had) shop in another small town about 30 minutes closer to the coast.

I guess I'll have to slip in the back door.

Michelle B said...

I like that you serve seafood cooked two ways--your crab cakes w/ crab soup and this etouffee w/ fried shrimp. It's like a mini seafood platter at home. I could get used to that!

Have a great weekend!

Gerry @Foodness Gracious said...

Wow!! is pretty much all I can say. Definetely a bookmark....
Thanks.

Cloudia said...

sign me UP!



Aloha from Waikiki;


Comfort Spiral
> < } } ( ° >

Eddie Bluelights said...

Blow the calories - I'm in for this delicious creation!! LOL Yet another culinary masterpiece!! I think you made me an honourary Cajun a while ago but just in case I am renewing my application. Since we cannot be married LOL I guess my route would be by the back door!! LOL. Do I qualify? LOL. Always love visiting your great blog. Enjoy your weekend and 'see' yer soon! ~ Eddie

Eddie Bluelights said...

Oh and just wondered if the piccie of the lady is you . . . . if so I'm catching the next plane over LOL

Kat said...

I still have my Honorary Cajun Coffee cup you sent me, I don't guess it has an experation date. So, I am a back-door woman! Etouffee looks so darn good, I want it for breakfast!

kitchen flavours said...

Your shrimp dish looks totally delicious! And I like all the back door musings! Makes me smile!
Have a lovely Sunday, Marguerite!

Drick said...

that is one mighty fine pan of etoufee, very pleasing to the eyes and I know to the palate... almost can taste the goodness...
hope you are having one heck of a weekend...stay cool...

Linda Starr said...

Oh, this looks good and with okra too, um good have a good weekend.

Mary said...

This looks fantastic! I've never tried etouffee, but all of the ingredients together sound delicious. I think I need to introduce some Cajun into my life. I am happily following you now too. :)

Marguerite said...

Dee- Thanks cher, I wish you did too! lol Hope your weekend is going great, too!

ellen- That's too bad, but at least you gave another option. lol Thanks for stopping by!

MM- Thanks, that's the way my mother cooked and yes, it's very easy to get used to. :) Thanks, hope you do too!

FG- Merci beaucoup, so glad you like it and hope you give it a try! You're welcome!

Cloudia- I signed you up, a long time ago, cher! :) Happy Sunday!

Eddie- Thanks for the sweet compliment, cher! Once an honorary Cajun, always an honorary Cajun. Yeah, guess the back door looks like the only option. lol

Miriam said...

Great post and recipe! I love all fo the fresh food available on the coast :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

hidden art of homemaking said...

your food makes me hungry...I used to make crawfish etouffe but this looks better...crazy question..have you ever made syrup cake? I just ran across a reference to it and had never heard of it..but I LOVE cane syrup..

Best of the Veg said...

Delicious dish. Those shrimp are beautiful!!!

Katie @ This Chick Cooks said...

YumMy! Those shrimp look great!

Magic of Spice said...

Marguerite this is one gorgeous etouffee! Your dinner guest must have been some of the best fed and happiest guest around :) Love the 3 ways to become a Cajun :)
Hope you had an amazing weekend and a fantastic week ahead...

Marguerite said...

Eddie- LOL, You are such a hoot!

Kat- It will never expire and back door friends really are the best. :) Thanks, hope you try it!

kf- Thanks so much for your sweet comment! So glad you enjoyed it!

Drick- Merci beaucoup for the nice compliments, cher! Hope you try it and thanks, I did have one heck of a fun weekend! lol

Linda- Thanks, cher, so glad you like it! It's even better when you add some crabmeat!

BITK- Hi and welcome! Etouffee is fab and I hope you try it! Thanks so much for stopping by and for following back!

Tania B said...

Hi! I am your newest follower from the Welcome Wednesday Blog Hop!

You have some amazing recipes! I will be stopping more more often!

Pam said...

Marguerite, your etouffee looks scrumptious. I have to try your recipe one of these days but I'm sure yours would be much better with all the fresh shrimp, something we definitely don't have here.

Like the Cajun options but only the back door would work in my case. And I love the video as usual. The band/music is great even though I don't understand a word of it. I'd love to be in a crowd like that dancing away in Cajun land! Thanks for the video and recipe too!

jen said...

yumm!!

thanks for riding the train today, now following so i won't miss any of the good stuff!
Jen Greyson | Author

test it comm said...

That is some tasty looking etouffee!

Chari said...

Lol!! This looks SO yummy! I love shrimp (scrimp) lol.

Stopping by from the Blog it Forward blog hop!

~Blessings!

charitsinspirationalcreations.blogspot.com

Lisa P. said...

I live on Bayou Barataria. My husband and I aren't Cajun but we became real members of the community by flood. When Hurricane Ike flooded us out of our home and we stayed, people seemed to decide we belonged here. lol

I'm a new follower from Blog It Forward Tuesday. I hope you'll stop by my blog and check out my giveaways.

Lisa
www.LisaBlogs.com

Kitchen Belleicious said...

Love the etouffee. One of my favorites for sure and your cracking me up on how to become a cajun! LOL!

Anonymous said...

I think I just stumbled on to my new favorite site - I LOVE EVERYTHING you have here!!! EVERYTHING!! I'm your latest GFC follower from Welcome Wednesday. Hope you can stop by my place soon and return the favor.
http://www.shaunanosler.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Great food! Awesome Fun... and Music that is super cool! Thanks for sharing!
Take care,
Lisa

Cricket @ Thrifty Texas Penny said...

Love the new idea for shrimp. We have lots of it in the freezer right now. New follower from the Whimsical Wednesday hop.

Quiltingranny said...

Marguerite:
Merci for the Etouffee recipe, I made it tonight for my family, from the moment the rue began to cook, the kids kept saying, it smells so good. It was very easy to follow your directions and you were right, C'est Bon!