Smoked Andouille and Shrimp Etouffee

The Story

Étouffée is built on a roux: fat and flour cooked together to a specific color that determines the dish's depth. A light blond roux takes 5 minutes and tastes nutty. A medium brown roux takes 15 minutes and starts tasting like chocolate. A dark roux — the Cajun chocolate — takes 30–45 minutes and tastes like toasted pecans, coffee, and complexity. We're making a medium-dark roux for this dish: copper-brown, pulling all the way through the fat.

Instructions

1. Make the Shrimp Stock. Sauté reserved shrimp shells in a saucepan with a splash of butter until pink. Add 2.5 cups water, bring to a simmer, and cook 20 minutes. Strain and reserve. This stock takes 25 minutes and doubles the flavor of the finished dish.
2. Build the Roux and Étouffée. In a heavy Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon for 20–25 minutes until the roux reaches copper-brown. Immediately add the Holy Trinity and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and Hammer Blend. Stir 2 minutes. Add stocks gradually, whisking. Bring to a simmer. Add andouille and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp in the final 5 minutes just until cooked through. Finish with cold butter stirred in off heat.
3. Serve. Serve in deep bowls over white rice. The étouffée should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but loose enough to pour. Garnish with green onions and parsley.

Pro Tips

• Never stop stirring the roux. If it burns, start over. A burned roux tastes like disappointment and cannot be fixed.