One of the time-tested treasures of south Louisiana cuisine, my keto, Paleo and gluten free Cajun shrimp etouffee certainly lives up to its famous name, y'all. My Trinity Roux base, cooked down with seasonings, gluten free broth and stewed tomatoes til the flavors are oh soooo well-incorporated. Finished off with seasoned shrimp for a tender, hearty stew that's just as delicious as it versatile. Serve with traditional rice for the truly authentic gluten free version. Or enjoy with riced cauliflower salad for a refreshing cold/hot experience. You can also have it my favorite way, as is, which is just as is comes out of the pot with substantial sliced stewed tomatoes that replace the need for any accompaniments at all. Yep and yay...
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Sometimes You Really Can Get What You Want & Just What You Need...
The other day, I was super stoked to find frozen shrimp on sale at one of my favorite local grocery stores. Since we are still under the great 2020 quarantine, I make the lists, and Mark goes out to make the groceries. This arrangement works very well for us. Well me especially, as what I want to eat pops itself out of my mind and into my refrigerator with very little physical work on my part.
After all we've been through lately, I really wanted the shrimp badly. So, when Mark got back from the grocery store with shrimp in hand I was over the moon relieved! Some other things just weren't available at the three stores that he visited. And, some brands that we usually use had to be replaced with less desirable brands. We were still grateful to have what we had, so neither of us complained one bit.
In the midst of the 'What do you want me to cook for dinner, Mark?' conversation, I found myself starting to sound like that guy from Forest Gump. Shrimp Creole? Shrimp pastalaya? Shrimp with white beans? Cajun fried shrimp? Shrimp stew? It just went on and on, until the final shrimp etouffee suggestion.
Well, I knew that I hit a winner when Mark's face lit right up. He nodded his long and slow nod, which means not only did he want it but that there was now NO other option.
So Then I Was Like Ok, Keto, Paleo & Gluten Free Cajun Shrimp Etouffee for the Win Then...
While I make Cajun shrimp stew a lot, I'd never actually made Cajun shrimp etouffee for Mark. So, the pressure was on, y'all!!
I knew that I would nail the texture with my Trinity Roux. But, I had to bring the taste to the very highest level that I could. Because not only was the recipe going down on my blog and into our stomachs, it was also using up the only luxury food item that we allowed ourselves this week.
So, I poured all of my heart and all of my soul into it. And, I created this version that really testifies to who I really am as a dedicated home cook. First off, all of my Cajun food redos have to be comparable to the original. Second, they have to be restaurant-worthy in both my and Mark's opinions. And finally, they have to be beautiful, because life is really just too short for our food not to be, am I right?
After I finalized my keto, Paleo and gluten free Cajun shrimp etouffee cooking steps, I set out for the win. It was torture waiting for it to cook. And, then there's the blog pics that need to be taken before we can actually eat. So, since this dish is one of my very favorites, I had the hardest time ever just taking one celebratory bite before I told my tummy to shut up and wait its turn. Yep.
I'm happy to say, though, that it was all worth it. In fact, my keto, Paleo and gluten free Cajun shrimp etouffee recipe hit every must-have mark. It's savory with pops of perfectly cooked sweet shrimp. It's filling but not heavy. And, it tastes even more insanely delicious the next day. It's a south Louisiana special winner, and I'm pretty confident that y'all are going to love it just as much as we do.
How to Make Keto, Paleo & Gluten Free Cajun Shrimp Etouffee For Your Family
Start the keto, Paleo and gluten free Cajun shrimp etouffee by thawing out frozen shrimp. You can also use fresh shrimp, if you want. But, frozen shrimp is going to give you what I call shrimp liquor when it thaws out. This small amount of liquid gold negates the need for you to make or buy shrimp stock. Like oyster liquor, it's going to inject a pop of salty, shrimpy flavor into the dish that completely beats shrimp stock, which I feel always overpowers a dish. I've found over the years that shrimp stock just makes everything else taste like shrimp stock. While chicken stock injected with as much shrimp liquor as you can get allows you to really taste all of the delicate flavors of this dish.
So, start by thawing out the shrimp, peeling them if they're still in the shell. Then, devein and season them, and set them aside, reserving every drop of the liquor that the shrimp released while thawing. I used 2 pounds of frozen, tail-on deveined shrimp, and I got 3/4 cup of the liquid gold:
And here's a pic of the seasoned shrimp:
Now, get the Trinity Roux going in a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven:
When the roux is ready, add the seasonings, garlic, and stewed tomatoes:
And cook down for about 20 minutes so the flavors can well-incorporate:
Finally, add the seasoned shrimp, and cook for 5 additional minutes:
And then you are done, and the only decision you have left to make is how you will enjoy it! Mark loves it with rice, of course, cause that's the traditional Cajun way. I like it topped with potato salad or my Cajun cauliflower salad. But, I also like it as is, just straight out of the bowl. The sliced stewed tomatoes are quite substantial, y'all. And they replace the need for anything else, in my opinion, but not necessarily the want. So, I honestly eat it all the ways I can when I do make it. It makes each eating experience more fun and enjoyable for me. And it just might for you, too!
Share this keto, Paleo, and gluten free Cajun shrimp etouffee with those who love you more than they love themselves. And see y'all on the yum side...
Keto Paleo Gluten Free Shrimp Etouffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen shrimp, thawed
For the Shrimp Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley ribbons
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Keto Paleo Gluten Free Shrimp Etouffee
- 1 Trinity Roux, prepared with shrimp liquor or GF chicken broth, see instructions
- 3 cups gluten free chicken broth
- 1 14.5-ounce can gluten free stewed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 to 2 teaspoons gluten free hot sauce
- salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with the lemon zest, fresh parsley ribbons, paprika, and onion powder. Set aside.
- Prepare the Trinity Roux in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. If you're using frozen shrimp, use the shrimp liquor that comes out of the shrimp to prepare the roux. For 2 pounds of shrimp, you should have about 3/4 cup of shrimp liquor that melts in the bag along with the shrimp as it thaws. If you do not have shrimp liquor, substitute gluten free chicken broth throughout the roux-making process.
- Once the Trinity Roux is ready, turn the heat down to medium-low. Then add the remaining ingredients, except for the shrimp to the pot.
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the shrimp to the pot.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve immediately with rice, Cajun potato salad, or Cajun cauliflower salad.
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