Best Etouffee Recipe

Combine 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt with ½ teaspoon baking soda. Sprinkle salt and baking powder on two pounds of peeled and deveined shrimp and thoroughly mix. Refrigerate until needed.

Melt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter in a Dutch oven or thick gauged pan on medium high heat. Add 1 cup flour and whisk to make the roux. Whisk roux for 10 to 15 minutes until roux is a dark, milk chocolate color. Do not let roux idle for long or it will burn and spots and become blotchy in color.

Add yellow onion, green and red bell pepper, celery, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the roux. Whisk to combine. Stir vegetable mixture for about 10 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add garlic and half of the scallions, then mix for 1 minute until the garlic blooms. Add smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, thyme, and mix.

Slowly add clam juice and water while constantly whisking to avoid lumps from forming in the roux, then add the can of diced tomatoes. When smooth, add Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and bay leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching the bottom of the pot.

Remove both bay leaves and carefully add shrimp to the etouffee and mix. Cook shrimp until they begin to change color to a solid white and firm up, about 5 minutes.

Garnish etouffee and individual bowls with remaining sliced scallions. Serve with white rice and fresh lemon.