Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, divided
• 1 cup (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 large dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay)
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (like Tabasco)
• 3 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• hot, steamed brown rice

Instructions

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add flour and constantly stir until roux turns medium brown (the color of caramel). This will take about fifteen minutes, and you must continue to stir the whole time as roux burns easily.
2. When you are happy with the color of your roux, remove from heat and add onion, 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, and celery. Stir well. Return to medium heat and stir mixture until the vegetables are wilted.
3. Add tomato sauce and stir. Add chicken broth (slowly to avoid lumps) while stirring constantly.
4. Add your spices (thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves) and then the Worcestershire sauce. Stir and then allow mixture to come to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn down to low heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes covered, often stirring, so etouffee does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. After the mixture has thickened nicely add wine, hot sauce, and shrimp. Stir and allow shrimp to cook and flavors to come together, for additional 5 minutes.
6. Serve over a bed of rice. Sprinkle remaining fresh parsley over the tops of individual plates.