Chef notes
This is one of my favorite fall Creole dishes. It's so warm, comforting and flavorful. I love making extra because it always tastes even better the next day.
Technique tip: Stir the roux constantly while it is browning so the flour does not burn. The roux will be dark brown and smell like toasted hazelnuts. If the roux burns or has black spots in it, start over.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup flour
- 1 onion, small diced
- 2
- 1/2 green bell pepper, small diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, small diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, picked
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomato
- 2 quarts shrimp stock
- 3½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined)
- 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped, divided
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes tabasco sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cream cheese
- 2 cups ground Parmesan
- 4 whole eggs
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 lemons, zested
- 10 rasps nutmeg
Preparation
For the shrimp étouffée:
1.In a four-quart saucepan over high heat, cook the flour and oil, stirring frequently, until it becomes dark brown in color.
2.Once the flour oil mixture is brown, add the onions and reduce the heat to medium.
3.Once the onions are translucent, add the celery, bell peppers, garlic, thyme and spices. Cook for 5 minutes.
4.Add the tomatoes and the shrimp stock and raise the heat to high.
5.Once the liquid has come to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer while stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Simmer for 15 minutes.
6.Add the shrimp, green onions and season with salt, pepper, Worcestershire and Tabasco.
7.Once the shrimp are cooked through, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
For the cream cheese dumplings:
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer.
2.Blend cream cheese, Parmesan, and eggs until emulsified in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
3.Add lemon zest and nutmeg.
4.Gradually add in the flour until a dough forms.
5.Place dough in piping bag or zip-top bag.
6.Cut a 3/4-inch hole in the end of the bag.
7.Squeeze and cut 1/2-inch cylinders of dumplings into simmering, salted water.
8.Once floating, cook for approximately 1 minute.
9.Remove from water with a slotted spoon and immediately place in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
10.Drain and lightly toss in olive oil.
To serve:
Stir the dumplings into the étouffée then ladle the into bowls and serve.
