Shrimp Étouffée

This spicy Cajun classic is traditionally served over white rice.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups étouffée and 2/3 cup rice)

Ingredients

• 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon  dried basil
• 1  bay leaf
• 1/3  cup  butter, divided
• 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2  cups  chopped onion
• 2/3  cup  diced celery
• 1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  chopped green bell pepper
• 3/4  cup  water
• 1/4  cup  tomato paste
• 1  tablespoon  salt-free Cajun seasoning
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1  teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2  cup  chopped green onions
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 1  pound  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 30 shrimp)
• 4  cups  hot cooked long-grain rice

Preparation

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cover and remove from heat.

2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour to pan; cook 8 minutes or until very brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup broth mixture to pan; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add remaining 3 cups broth mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth; set aside.

3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butter in a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 cups onion, celery, and bell peppers to pan; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3/4 cup water, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper to onion mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add reserved broth-flour mixture and Worcestershire sauce to pan, stirring well to combine; bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions, 1/4 cup parsley, and shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice. Sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons remaining parsley, if desired.

Wine note: A traditional Shrimp Étouffée is fabulous with something cold and bold that can refreshingly stand up to the spices. A great choice is a dry rosé from Spain; these wines are a fabulous foil for Cajun dishes. I love El Coto Rosado from Rioja. The 2006 is $13. —Karen MacNeil

Nutritional Information

Calories:

395 (28% from fat)

Fat:

12.2g (sat 6.9g,mono 3g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

22.6g

Carbohydrate:

47.9g

Fiber:

3.6g

Cholesterol:

142mg

Iron:

4.9mg

Sodium:

655mg

Calcium:

102mg