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Prawn Étouffée

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Prawn Étouffée is rarely seen on European restaurant menus. Learn how to make this American dish, comprising shrimp and  Cajun roux, at home instead.

Creole cuisine

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.

Making shrimp stock

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!

Cooking shellfish

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.

American food

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.

Prawn Étouffée

What is your favourite way of enjoying prawns?

Love seafood? Check out these cookbooks!

 

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Cajun cuisine

Prawn Étouffée

★★★★★

4.8 from 21 reviews

  • Author: Michelle Minnaar
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe

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.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1kg (2½ lbs) raw prawns with heads
  • 750ml (3 cups) water
  • 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
  • 80ml (1/3 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

  1. Peel and devein the prawns. Reserve the heads and shells.
  2. 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.
  3. Mince the onion, celery, pepper and garlic. Set aside.
  4. To make the Cajun roux, heat the oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet or steel saucepan. Not nonstick!
  5. When the oil is hot, add the flour, a little at a time, and blend to a smooth paste using a wooden spoon.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Add the seafood stock and blend well.
  9. Add the white wine and bring to a boil.
  10. Stir in the Cajun spice and paprika and remove from the heat.
  11. In another pan, melt the butter. Add the prawns, stir and cook until pink. Stir in the parsley and chives.
  12. Combine the prawns with the sauce and stir well.
  13. Season with salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes

Serve on a bed of rice with white wine.

  • 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

Keywords: etouffee recipe, prawn etouffee, shrimp etouffee, etouffee sauce recipe, prawn dish, easy prawn recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Tiff Jordan says

    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!

    Reply

  6. [email protected] says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  11. Katie Bryson says

    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

    ★★★★

    Reply

  17. Maddy says

    I like my prawns with a squeeze of lemon on freshly buttered (None of this low-fat spread nonsense spread!) granary bread 🙂

    Reply

  27. Tracy Nixon says

    I love Barbecued prawns with olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic, freshly ground pepper and chilli flakes to taste!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  65. Katie leavy says

    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

    Reply

  66. Katie leavy says

    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

    Reply

  69. DANIELLE VEDMORE says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  74. Emma Ellams says

    It might be old fashioned but I love a good old prawn cocktail but I would definitely love to try more prawn dishes.

    Reply

  75. Emma Ellams says

    It might be old fashioned but I love a good old prawn cocktail but I would definitely love to try more prawn dishes.

    Reply

  77. Hilda Hazel Wright says

    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!

    Reply

  106. helen tovell says

    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

    Reply

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