I have a somewhat juicy secret.
I was born in the South. The deep, deep South.
I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and while I only spent two years living here, I’m so thankful that my mom picked up on the cooking and the tastes of region. In celebration of Mardi Gras, Lent, and this season, I’m sharing with you one of our family’s classic dishes.There’s something about this dish that brings back a great sense of nostalgia, home, and comfort.
This dish is my mom’s take on a creole favorite. She does something that is distinctly different than any other etoufee I’ve eaten. Her roux is incredibly light in color. Using continual stirring, over medium heat, it never darkens to the nutty browns of a roux that frequent creole cooking.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled, cleaned, and thawed (if frozen)
- 1/4 lb butter
- 1 T flour
- Pinch oregano
- 1/4 C chopped onions
- 1/4 C warm water
- 1 T finely chopped parsley (if dry use 1/2 teaspoon)
Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan. Dissolve flour. Stir until flour is medium yellow in color. Add onions; when onion are done add peeled shrimp and cook until almost pink. Add water, oregon, and all seasonings. (For a spicier dish, add cayenne pepper to taste.) Cook until done, about 10 minutes. You can substitute crawfish instead. Serve over brown or white rice. Enjoy!