Shrimp Étouffée

Ingredients

• 700 g raw shell-on prawns
• 80 g butter
• 60 g plain flour
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 600 ml shrimp stock, made from the shells
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 300 g long-grain rice
• Salt and black pepper

Before you cook

• Peel the prawns and keep the shells and heads in a bowl.
• Chop the onion, pepper and celery finely and keep them together.
• Season the peeled prawns with salt, pepper and half the cayenne.

Steps

1. Simmer the prawn shells in 800 ml of water for 20 minutes, then strain and keep 600 ml of the stock.
2. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in salted water for 12 minutes and keep it covered off the heat.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat.
4. Whisk in the flour and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux smells nutty and turns the colour of peanut butter.
5. Tip in the onion, pepper and celery and stir hard as the roux stops cooking.
6. Cook the vegetables for 8 minutes, until softened and coated.
7. Stir in the garlic, paprika, remaining cayenne, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute.
8. Pour in the warm shrimp stock a ladle at a time, stirring smooth after each addition.
9. Simmer the gravy uncovered for 20 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
10. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and taste for salt.
11. Add the prawns and cook for 4 minutes, until they curl and turn pink through.
12. Take the pan off the heat and fish out the bay leaves.
13. Stir in the spring onions and parsley.
14. Spoon the étouffée over bowls of hot rice and serve.