Another Recipe: Shrimp (or Crawfish) Etouffee

Yes, I know… This is a blog about writing. These days I’m spending much more of my time writing. First, I completed the prequel to Piety and Murder and sent it to the publisher. The title: Where There Were No Innocents. It is a war story with a love story inside.  This week I’m working with a new WIP (tentatively titled Overload), instead of  blogging. I’ve also been reading (on Joe Konrath’s blog) about Barry Eisler turning down a $500,000 book deal with a legacy publisher to self-publish his next book. Amazing. Don’t think I’d do that yet…

Finally, here’s the recipe.

Note: this  is a personal adaptation of an old Tony Chachere classic. I’ve made substitutions and additions. You are welcome to do the same–just enjoy!
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Ingredients

• 1 pound peeled shrimp (or crawfish tails)
• 1 stick ( ¼ lb) butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• Cajun seasoning to taste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Chopped green onion tops
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
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Preparation:

1. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning to taste. Melt butter in deep Dutch oven (not black iron) with paprika.
2. Sauté shrimp for about 5 minutes, remove and set aside.
3. Add onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic to pot and sauté gently for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Return shrimp to pot, stir to mix with vegetables and add chicken broth with Worcestershire sauce.
5. Stir and simmer gently for about 40 minutes.
6. Check for seasoning taste, adding more if necessary (I add a few drops of Tabasco sauce with the broth and Worcestershire sauce).
7. Mix cornstarch with water and add to etouffee slowly to slightly thicken.
8. Serve over rice and top with chopped green onion tops.

Note: We start the rice about 10 minutes into the simmering process. With a salad, this is a good meal.