"Grump's" Shrimp & Crawfish Étouffée

Some of our most meaningful memories in life are tied to the sights, smells and sounds of our favorite foods cooking in the kitchen, forks and spoons clanking and the laughter around the table while we share a meal with the people we love. These are memories that stay with us forever, molding who we are and reminding us of where we came from. Even if they’re not always on the forefront of our minds, they have a way of sneaking up on us when we need them the most. This recipe post is all about those kind of memories and is dedicated to a man who was truly one in a million. 

It’s been about three weeks since my father-in-law passed away. The void left behind by his loss isn’t getting any smaller, but we find some comfort in sharing our favorite memories of him, a lot of which are centered around the kitchen table. His name was Patrick (“Pat” if you really knew him) but years ago when he became a grandpa, he proudly chose the name “Grump”. 

He grew up on a farm, just outside the small town of Mamou, Louisiana, learning Cajun French as his first language. The cultural influence was easy to spot in his cooking; making use of whatever ingredients he had on hand, no frills, rough chops and in the end, a deliciously comforting meal that was truly satisfying and simple.

He had a handful of his own signature recipes. His chocolate sandwiches were always a big hit! But my favorite was always his étouffée. His version wasn’t that far off from most, but of course, he added his own personal touch! He ditched the celery from the “trinity”, added a little tomato sauce for color and flavor and sometimes, instead of adding flour, he would use a heaping spoonful of Bisquick! It was usually loaded with crawfish tails, or sometimes just shrimp, but when he decided to fill the pot with both, it was extra special.

It couldn’t have been easy for him to stand in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stirring away over a hot stove. His health was never really on his side and he struggled in a lot of ways throughout his life. So when he found the strength to get in there and cook, it was because he wanted to make something special for the people he cared about the most. 

There are a ton of variations to this classic cajun/creole dish, but this is his. I’ll forever make his version and eat it with a big smile on my face.

Thank you for the memories, life lessons and love. This one’s for you.

Yield: 6-8 servingsAuthor: The Craft ChewPrint Recipe

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"Grump's" Shrimp & Crawfish Étouffée

prep time: 15 minscook time: 35 minstotal time: 50 mins

ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, deseeded & diced

• 2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced (plus more for garnish)

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 3 cups (chicken or seafood) stock 

• 1/2 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce 

• 1 lb. peeled Louisiana crawfish tails (with fat)
  

• 1 lb. shrimp (peeled, butterflied & deveined)
• salt, black pepper & red pepper to taste
• parsley for garnish (optional)

instructions:

1. Heat butter in large saucepan over medium/high heat. Once melted, add onion & bell pepper, stirring occasionally. Sauté for about 8-10 minutes, or until vegetables start to become translucent. Stir in garlic & green onions and season with a pinch of salt, black pepper & red pepper. Sauté for another couple minutes, continuing to stir occasionally. 

2. Sprinkle flour into pan, stirring together evenly. Continue cooking, stirring consistently for about 5 minutes. 

3. Slowly pour in stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly as it incorporates. Lower heat to medium and bring to a low boil. 

4. Stir in tomato sauce (you can use half to a whole can, depending on your color preference). 

5. Reduce heat to medium/low. Add crawfish tails & shrimp and continue cooking until shrimp are cooked through (7-10 mins). 
   

6. Add any additional salt, pepper, & red pepper to taste.
   

7. Turn off heat and let cool for a few minutes before serving. 
8. Serve steaming hot over rice, garnished with a little green onions & parsley. Leftovers taste even better the next morning over grits & eggs! 

NOTES:

Have everything prepped and ready to go in the pan before you start cooking. This recipe moves along pretty fast, so having everything chopped, peeled and measured ahead of time is key!

If using store bought broth or stock, look for unsalted or low sodium, so that you can control how much salt goes in. 

This one tastes even better the next day, so this is a great make ahead recipe!