Request for Etouffee!

First you start with a roux! Do we all know what a roux is? It is the basis for All of our rich southern dishes. If you do not know, you can look it up and/or email me and I can explain a roux on here if you want me too.. Just let me know and i will be glad to help you out! In this recipe the roux is red because it is an Etouffee.. and made with a tomato sauce base. In other dishes the roux is brown in color and is what gives the color to gumbo, etc.

This recipe is for Shrimp Etouffee, (but you can substitute crawfish if you want)

1/2 cup butter or olive oil
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 finely chopped celery
1 cup chopped dry onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
1 Tbsp. crushed mustard seed or
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
a dash of cayenne pepper or a few
dashes of hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 (15 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lb shirmp, cleaned and deveined
3 cups of hot cooked rice

In a large saucepan, combine the flour and the butter or olive oil, continuing to cook until it is a rich red brown (roux), stirring very frequently.. Stir in the onion, garlic, and celery.. Continue stirring and cooking until onion is limp, adding the thyme, mustard, pepper and salt..Stir in the tomoatoes, tomato sauce, and water and cook for about 15 more minues, medium heat. Add the shrimp and continue cooking until shirmp are opaque or done to your liking.. Serve the Etouffee over hot, cooked rice.. This serves 6 people. Enjoy

Tip: when making a roux, NEVER leave it unattended.. you must stir and keep the flour moving or it will stick and taste burned.. then the whole dish is ruined.. Make this when you have time to stand at the stove and stir often.. Delicious food awaits you!
This recipe taken from "A Taste of Southern Hospitality Cookbook"