Baby its cold outside and I’m ready for some heat. So this big mama is pointing my cookin’ compass to ‘Nawlins baby!
My first intro to real New Orleans cooking was years ago thanks to my little sister and bro-in-law, both oil execs who were working just outside New Orleans, who had invited us for a visit and our first Jazz Festival excursion—which if you haven’t experienced is a bucket list must do if only to try Crawfish bread. That’s all it took to become big fans of the little suckers.
A couple of years later, and after a transfer to Houston, bro-in-law treated us to another crawfish tastey, his recipe for Crawfish Etouffee. To some cooks, this dish seems out-of-your-league-fancy just by looking at the spelling of its name, what with it’s double ff’s and ee’s and sounding all French and haute.
But here’s the secret: it isn’t fancy, or hard. It’s just good. Spicy and good.
photo > FoodieCrush
So when G and I were recently perusing the lovely aisles of Au Costco, we jumped at the seafood bait when we discovered langostinos in the seafood case.
No they weren’t fresh crawdads like you’d find on the coast, but any quality frozen nugget of the sweet crustacean style is all this recipe needs. So use what you can find: crawfish, shrimp or like us, little lobster longostinos.
This recipe is spiced up with Cajun seasoning and a variety of peppers, so depending on your love of heat, add or minus to your heart’s content. We serve it over steamed rice cooked with 2 bay leaves added to the water for a little flavor boost plus crusty french bread slathered with salty sweet butter for sopping up every nugget of goodness.
And another perk? This is a one-pot meal (if you don’t count the accompanying rice) so dinner will be on the table within an hour and clean up is a cinch.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Lobster Etouffee
Ingredients
- adapted from Paula Deen and Emeril Lagassee
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup butter plus 4 tablespoons butter reserved
- 1/2 cup flour plus extra flour as needed to form a paste
- 1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or to taste
- 3-5 dashes hot sauce or to taste
- 1 8- ounce jar clam juice
- 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound or 4 cups langostinos can substitute crawfish or shrimp
- 1/2 cup minced green onions plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
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To make the roux, melt butter with oil in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk flour into the oil to form a paste and cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat until the vegetables are limp, about 5 minutes.
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Add the black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, green onions, parsley, and hot sauce to taste. Add clam juice, chicken broth, tomatoes with their juice and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until mixture thickens.
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Add lobster meat and cook for 3-5 minutes careful not to overcook. Remove from heat and add the 4 tablespoons reserved butter and stir to melt. Garnish with the green onions, parsley and serve over steamed rice.
But, since we’re always on the lookout for more spicy sweet shellfish recipes, I figured you would be too. Whoa, don’t lose your head, but you’re about to become a very, very happy cook. Enjoy!
Heather gives Cajun shrimp a piquant squeeze of citrus with Squirrel Bread’s Lemon Linguini and Cajun Shrimp where the shrimp are easily baked or skewered on the grill.
Bev says its all in the bread, but rest assured, it’s really all in her spiced up shrimpeez in Bev Cooks Shrimp Po’ Boys. Oh nothin’, it’s just Bev rockin’ ‘Nawlins.
Julie and her hubs share Mommie Cook’s lightly creamy Cajun Lobster Pasta on their romantic living room picnics—minus the kids. Keeping it spicy!
Decadent and fully flavored thanks to creamy potatoes with a splash of wine, Seduction Meal’s spin on Susan Spicer’s recipe for Shrimp Clemenceau brings New Orleans flavors minus the heat.
Peeeza and shreeemps! That’s some serious accent loving when Louisianna shrimp meets its Italian lover in Annie’s Eats Cajun Shrimp Pizza , spiced up as hot as you can take it.
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Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
It’s all gorgeous. I love lobster. I am kind of allergic to it (highly allergic to shrimp) but every few years I will have lobster and savor it for the next few years!
I have only bought it once and made it at home. It was 2 tails from WF’s that were like $60 for the pair and I was soooo scared to mess them up! I figured in the future, I would be money and stress levels ahead to just go out for lobster every year or two :)
heidi says
Oh Averie! I would just die if I couldn’t eat shrimp, it’s seriously my top 5 crush! This recipe uses little baby langostinos and they’re much cheaper than the tails.
yvette says
‘allergic to shrimp… bought some Langostino “lobster” which I’ve just learned is more kin to CRAB than lobster, but that’s cool too, as I’ve been able to eat crab and lobster but still break out with shrimp. I’m wondering if I can substitute the lobster for the shrimp or the scallop substitute for Shrimp better … questions of an Iodine deficient, City gal. Y~
heidi says
Hi Yvette, I’m not familiar with which shellfish can be substituted for which and I’d hate to direct you in the wrong way. But if you aren’t worried about the allergy, I’d say it would taste delicious.
Vanessa @ Life Undeveloped says
Between that etouffee and that po’ boy I’m drooling over here.. Can you ever go wrong with a po’ boy?? I think not.
Bev Weidner says
This might be my favorite post. Anything that burns my entire head to a crisp is what. I. love.
I’m DEFINITELY trying your dish. Absolutely!
(thanks for including me!)
heidi says
Your recipes are a no-brainer to feature lady! Thanks for doing what you do.
Cookie and Kate says
Heidi, I love this post so much. For one, I can’t get enough of your incredible food photography. Also, the write-up for this tasty Cajun dish totally made me smile. “Sounding all French and haute”—ahahaha. Love it.
heidi says
Ah, thanks Kate! I’m pretty smitten with your pics too. Its a crush-fest.
Emmy Kastner says
Oh! I am such a fan of shrimp. That shrimp pizza is on my dinner menu this week!
heidi says
I’m with you Emmy, I’m going to definitely give it a go, and it looks super easy too.
Brianne says
I just made shrimp and sausage gumbo last night. Creole cuisine is sooo good! Thanks for your recipe and the great links. I would love to tackle etouffee!
heidi says
The etouffee is so easy, no tackling involved. Send me the link to your gumbo, always on the hunt!
Michelle says
hitting the big C store later today – thanks for the tip to make this! YUM!!!!
heidi says
Get. Them. Now. And then fix me dinner.
snippets of Thyme says
Oh, these plates have this cajun girl so excited! I’ve been away from La for sooo long and am now back in the South (Houston). It’s time I revive these cajun dishes for my ‘non’ southern family!
heidi says
Hi Riley, I was actually on your blog last night checking out your Fettucine with Herbed Cream Catfish Sauce http://rileymadel.blogspot.com/2011/08/homemade-fettucine-with-herbed-cream.html and it looks terrific! Your pasta making photos were totes inspiring, esp since I got the KitchenAid pasta attachment for Christmas, will be making your recipe for sure.
Zenzi says
Looks delicious! But how much langostinos/lobster meat? I couldn’t find it in the ingredient list (maybe for a reason?)
heidi says
well now, that would be helpful right? My husband and I were checking and I omitted it from the post! It’s 4 cups or 1 pound and I’ve fixed. Thanks for the catch! (no pun intended)
Sandy says
Ooooo, yum! I have never been to N’AwlIns-it is definitely on my bucket list. In the mean time I think I will just drool over your pictures.
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Oh yum. I love crawfish etouffee, so I’m sure lobster would be delish as well. Mmmmmm
beti says
ok, for me pizza is the winner but honestly everything looks fantastic
Delishhh says
Awesome stuff – i often do Thai shrimp and noodles very easy – http://delishhh.com/2011/03/13/garlic-shrimp/
Asmita says
Your website is awesome! All the dishes look amazing! I am starving now.
Dara says
This looks soooo fantastic. I love cajun inspired dishes and I LOVE lobster! Great recipe.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
i just got back from NOLA last week. étouffée was one of the last few things on my bucket list i didn’t get to try!
Maja says
Really nice dish and stunning photos!
Deborah says
Looks like I need to plan a trip to Costco in my very near future. This sounds amazing!!
Barrett Doran says
Love the recipe you have! We live in SLC and have found many of the lakes around here actually have crawfish. Being from the South I was skeptical about the quality/abundance, but they are NOT in short supply and are just as delicious as from LA waters. With a couple traps you can catch your own even in the Mountain West….. now I have another reason and recipe to bring home even more from our favorite “hunting grounds”
Thanks Crush~
Nancy/SpicieFoodie says
Love, love Etouffee! I’ve only had the crawfish one but your recipe is one for my to try very soon. Great round up or cajun food. All the yumminess and spiciness should definitely bring some much needed heat.
Culture-ist says
Upon seeing the featured photo we were hooked. The recipes sound and look absolutely delectable – we’ll be sure to try some in te near future. Great layout and features, we’ll be back to check out future recipes.
Meg says
Shrimp + potatoes + wine sounds amazing. I’ll be making the shrimp clemenceau later this week. Thanks for sharing!
Sarah @ Homestyle Cooking Around The World says
What a great bunch of recipes! I have bookmarked these to try soon! Love it!
Josh says
This is amazing, my mouth is watering. Thank you for sharing this. Will be attempting to make it this week.
heidi says
Oh man, literally! Love seeing a man comment about a recipe. Let me know how you like.
Kris Mullen says
Heidi, this is such a great post I had to share it with my readers today in a Mardi Gras round-up. I am so excited crawdad season is finally upon us! (although they’re still pretty small here in Texas). Once I get my hands on these delicious crustaceans I’ll be giving some of these recipes a try! Thanks for the great post and a good laugh (sounding all French and haute, & Au Costco = LOL)
Kris Mullen says
Heidi, this is such a great post I had to share it with my readers today in a Mardi Gras round-up. I am so excited crawdad season is finally upon us! (although they’re still pretty small here in Texas). Once I get my hands on these delicious crustaceans I’ll be giving some of these recipes a try! Thanks again for the great post and a good laugh (sounding all French and haute, & Au Costco = LOL)
Kris Mullen says
oops! sorry for the duplicate comment!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Good morning, I featured this recipe on my blog today for my weekly seafood round-up. It looks great, thanks for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/week-22-seafood-frenzy-friday.html
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I have featured this recipe on my blog for my weekly seafood round-up and have also linked this recipe to your original post so that my readers will be forwarded to your site. Thank you for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/01/seafood-frenzy-friday-week-44.html
Ashley says
Made this a few days ago with a bag of frozen langostinos that I picked up a while back, and it was awesome!! Looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today. My only bit of confusion was if the bay leaves listed in the recipe were supposed to go in with rice, or if they were also for the etouffee. I ended up putting them in the rice, and it was great. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Chris says
I made this, I did a double recipe, added an extra can of diced tomatoes, cut the chicken broth to 4 cups and used 8 oz of clam juice. It was sooooo delicious, I’m glad I did!!! The spices wee great, don’t skimp on them, it won’t be overbearingly hot, fear not!!
Chris says
Oh and I used 2 lbs of whole langostinos, I cooked them just a little more since they were in the shells, just around 10 minutes, they were perfect!!!
heidi says
Thanks for the comment Chris! This is one of my favorite recipes so I’m glad you enjoyed it too. And I agree, the spices are spot on :)
Mehndi Design Videos says
Wow!! A must make
Lesa Cote says
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