Prawn Étouffée is rarely seen on European restaurant menus. Learn how to make this American dish, comprising shrimp and Cajun roux, at home instead.
Last week my father would have turned 73 and it was with great gusto that I decided to create a prawn dish to celebrate his birthday in his honour. Seafood had a positive connotation in our household as it was usually enjoyed to mark positive events such as birthdays or achievements.
Only after I made it did it occur to me this dish wouldn't have been his first choice because he wasn't a saucy kind of a person. I am. And so the blurring of his memory continues, even though he's only been gone for less than 18 months. It's scary.
Maya Angelou said: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
How true. I might start forgetting the small details such as my father's likes and dislikes but I'll never forget how he made me feel - unconditionally loved and accepted, no matter what. Cheers to you, Gawie!
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If you're looking for something offbeat, look no further.
Étouffée hails from the Cajun and Creole cuisine and literally means "smothered" in French. The secret to this recipe is Cajun roux, which is flour that has been gently cooked in oil. It eventually turns brown and gives the food a wonderful nutty flavour.
The Americans use shrimp or crawfish, whereas we use prawns.
This is not a simple weeknight dinner. A better occasion would be a Saturday night in with your loved ones or friends where you can chatter while taking turns stirring the roux. Patience is key. Whatever you do, don't turn up the heat too high because then the flour would burn. If black specks appear, everything will need to be thrown away and you'll have to start again. The last thing you want is your dinner to have a bitter, burned taste.
While listening to loud music and drinking wine, I ended up with a jar of peanut butter next to me to keep checking whether the roux has reached the right colour. After that everything was a doddle. Have a go at it! I promise you it's sublime.
What is your favourite way of enjoying prawns?
Love seafood? Check out these cookbooks!
- My Kitchen Table: 100 Fish and Seafood Recipes
- Fish & Shellfish
- Rick Stein's Seafood
- Nathan Outlaw's Fish Kitchen
- Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul
📖 Recipe
Prawn Étouffée
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Prawn Étouffée, also know as Shrimp Étouffée in USA, is an easy prawn recipe that entails caramelising roux to achieve a dark, complex flavour which makes the sauce so desirable.
Ingredients
- 1kg (2 ½ lbs) raw prawns with heads
- 750ml (3 cups) water
- 80ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
- 80ml (⅓ cup) flour
- 1 small onion
- 1 stick celery
- 1 green pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 125ml (½ cup) white wine
- 15ml (1 tbsp) Cajun spice
- 15ml (1 tbsp) paprika
- 30ml (2 tbsp) butter
- 125ml (½ cup) fresh parsley
- 125ml (½ cup) fresh chives
Instructions
- Peel and devein the prawns. Reserve the heads and shells.
- Put the heads and shells in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve 1½ cups of this stock. Set aside.
- Mince the onion, celery, pepper and garlic. Set aside.
- To make the Cajun roux, heat the oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet or steel saucepan. Not nonstick!
- When the oil is hot, add the flour, a little at a time, and blend to a smooth paste using a wooden spoon.
- Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the Cajun roux reaches the desired colour. It would take between 25 and 40 minutes. It will gradually deepen in colour from light beige to tan, to a deeper, redder brown.
- When it reaches the colour of peanut butter, remove the pan from the heat and immediately mix in the minced vegetables. Continue stirring to prevent further darkening.
- Add the seafood stock and blend well.
- Add the white wine and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the Cajun spice and paprika and remove from the heat.
- In another pan, melt the butter. Add the prawns, stir and cook until pink. Stir in the parsley and chives.
- Combine the prawns with the sauce and stir well.
- Season with salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Serve on a bed of rice with white wine.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 196.6g
- Calories: 323
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 228 mg
- Fat: 17.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.6 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 31.8 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Carole
Only in a prawn cocktail
Carole
Only in a prawn cocktail
tracy baines
I just love prawns with seafood sauce or wrapped and cooked in filo pastry
tracy baines
I just love prawns with seafood sauce or wrapped and cooked in filo pastry
helen tovell
I have to say I don't eat prawns at all but the best way I prepare them for my family is marinated on kebabs
Angie Hoggett
in a nice wrap with seafood sauce and crunchy salad
Angie Hoggett
in a nice wrap with seafood sauce and crunchy salad
Alica
Simply fried in butter with chilli and garlic!
Vanessa Cox
Just grilled on kebabs with chilli and garlic!
Beky Austerberry
prawn cocktail
clair downham
ooh with lots of garlic and prawns
andy burns
I enjoy them in a spicy veg and prawn stirfry with rice
Marc Chivers
In prawn salad
Sinead ORourke
Cooked with chilli flakes
Sinead ORourke
Cooked with chilli flakes
jackie talbot
prawn cocktail
Jenna
A simple old prawn cocktail is my favourite
Jayne Kelsall
Quite plain, but I love a prawn curry
angela sandhu
prawn tempura
angela sandhu
prawn tempura
Emma Nixon
I am not a big fan of prawns. My partner loves them in garlic butter.
Emma Nixon
I am not a big fan of prawns. My partner loves them in garlic butter.
Emma Nixon
I am not a big fan of prawns. My partner loves them in garlic butter.
Paul Robson
Fried in garlic, with some special fried rice
ashleigh allan
In a seafood pasta!
Iris W
I love prawns in sweet chilli and garlic or a good old fashioned prawn cocktail
Andrew Petrie
I put them in a curry with tune or crabmeat.
Andrew Petrie
I put them in a curry with tune or crabmeat.
Heather Shaw
I love prawns on crackers 🙂
Heather Shaw
I love prawns on crackers 🙂
Jacqueline Fawcett
With garlic butter
Jacqueline Fawcett
With garlic butter
Jacqueline Fawcett
With garlic butter
Hilda Hazel Wright
My boyfriend (he is the masterchef, I am the willing skivvy) makes some kind of marie rose sauce, I don't know much about it apart from the vodka!
Ben Audsley
on their own, from the bbq with lots of mayo!
Emma Ellams
It might be old fashioned but I love a good old prawn cocktail but I would definitely love to try more prawn dishes.
Emma Ellams
It might be old fashioned but I love a good old prawn cocktail but I would definitely love to try more prawn dishes.
Vicky Spencer
I love a classic prawn cocktail
Mary Heald
Prawn tempura
Catherine Pawsey
oh you make me hungry !!
Becky Duffy
In a prawn cocktail with salad and seafood sauce
DANIELLE VEDMORE
I have a slight prawn addiction so I love them most ways - in a curry, in stir frys, in pasta, spring rolls, fish stews. Im easy!
Jenna Parrington
In a thai red curry! A family favourite!
Lucy Major
i like prawns with chilli and garlic. it's amazing 🙂 especially on holiday
Katie leavy
Just recently tried prawns for the first time so far I have tried them fried with some salad and had prawn fried rice both delicious keen to try more recipes
Katie leavy
Just recently tried prawns for the first time so far I have tried them fried with some salad and had prawn fried rice both delicious keen to try more recipes
Danielle Cross
Slow Cooker
Etleva
I love prawns as a starter with mayonnaise, eggs, rocket salad and so on...
Siobhan Davis
Grilled and with a drizzle of chilli sauce, Its lovely x Thanks so much for the chance x
Samantha loughlin
Prawn linguine
Paul Wilson
I like prawns on their own, just cooked in their shells.
Robyn Seviour
I love prawns in Laksa or Xin Xim
lyn Burgess
I like prawns cooked in their shells on a bbq and served with a lime dressing
Louise A
I wrap them in foil with salmon steaks and then steam them and serve with fresh veg/salad and a parsley sauce
Louise A
I wrap them in foil with salmon steaks and then steam them and serve with fresh veg/salad and a parsley sauce
lyn Burgess
I subscribe to the newsletter already
Louise A
Subscribed 🙂
Rebecca England
In a Thai curry
Gilla01
Sounds good, but I've only ever used frozen prawns as I don't like preparing fresh ones.
fozia Akhtar
Prawn salad
fozia Akhtar
Prawn salad
Holly Gibson
I really like prawns in a dry tikka curry with some saag paneer and naan bread!
Jayne Townson
Just as they come with a side salad. Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
Heather Haigh
I love prawns in a stir fry
Hannah Smith
I like to make prawn curry and eat it with Naan
Laura
in Fried Rice or with mayo on a jacket potato
Mirjana
I don't like prawns 🙁
Anthony Harrington
already a subscriber
Anthony Harrington
already a subscriber
Jo McPherson
Love them in a light tempura batter with sea salt, chilli and pepper
Anthony Harrington
we are vegetarians so no prawns for us
maddalena dalton
prawn cocktail
Maggie Coates
I like prawn salad
Ann Robinson
I love them fried in garlic butter
michelle
That's a fantastic combo, Ann. I've actually published a recipe here:
https://www.greedygourmet.com/recipes-by-cooking-times/30-mins-or-less/pan-fried-butter-garlic-prawns/
sharon martin
fried in a batter, then served covered in a lemon sauce
Kim Neville
Subscribe to newsletter already
Kim Neville
Fried with garlic and butter
Jo Hutchinson
I love prawns with Avocado.
Mark Palmer
Fried in garlic butter
Zoe G
I enjoy them in stir-fries
Joy B
I like my Prawns cooked in garlic and lemon butter with spring onions and a green salad.
Angela McDonald
I love them just simply plain with a dipping sauce!
JODIE BEAUMONT
love prawns in paella and already subscribed!
Tracy Nixon
I love Barbecued prawns with olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic, freshly ground pepper and chilli flakes to taste!
Anna Brown
I enjoy prawns in a prawn cocktail the most.
Rebecca Major
With a tonne of garlic ? ala Tapas
Tracey Peach
I'm allergic to fish so I stay clear 🙂
Tracey Peach
I'm allergic to fish so I stay clear 🙂
winnie
prawns in sandwiches
Barbara Handley
Prawns with garlic butter
Fiona K
I like them spicy in a salad
Aysha Hudson
I love prawn cocktail!
Alana Walker
I love prawns in a seafood paella. Already subscribed to the newsletter.
Maddy
I like my prawns with a squeeze of lemon on freshly buttered (None of this low-fat spread nonsense spread!) granary bread 🙂
Leanne Lunn
My favourite way is in a seafood stir fry, love prawns.
emily omara
in a salad with seafood dressing!
emily omara
in a salad with seafood dressing!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
I had this when I was in New Orleans a couple of months ago and I love it! I am going to have to try my own version now.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
I had this when I was in New Orleans a couple of months ago and I love it! I am going to have to try my own version now.
Katie Bryson
I've never heard of this dish, but boy do I want to try it! I'm definitely a sauce-loving lady so this is my kind of Saturday night supper...
I love the Maya Angelou quote - beautiful xxx
Leila Benhamida
Love prawns marinated in tomato and chilli sauce
Leila Benhamida
Love prawns marinated in tomato and chilli sauce
laura banks
already subscribed
laura banks
i love breaded spicy prawns
kellie@foodtoglow
I love Cajun food but now living in the UK (okay I've been here 26 years now!) it's not something I ever eat anymore, except if I make it. This is wonderfully evocative recipe for me as it look quite similar to something my own mother used to make. Like your own father, she is no longer here. I would love to make this and think of her just as you think of your father - despite him possibly not liking the heat of this ;-). I appreciate the Maya Angelou quote. I've not read this one.
Tiff Jordan
Funny, I was talking to a friend today about how much we both love prawns. I prefer them in the shell, I love shelling them myself as they taste so fresh and juicy. This recipe looks amazing!
Rosa
A mouthwatering dish!
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa
A mouthwatering dish!
Cheers,
Rosa
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
What great timing - we were in New Orleans last month and my husband loved the etouffee. I'll have to pass this recipe on to him so he can make it and relive our holiday 🙂
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
What great timing - we were in New Orleans last month and my husband loved the etouffee. I'll have to pass this recipe on to him so he can make it and relive our holiday 🙂