New Orleans Inspired Shrimp Fricassee

Shrimp Fricassee is a rich, saucy dish with a satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs quality that makes it a perfect recipe when you’re craving a hearty meal.

I spent so much time and energy writing my “Things to Eat, Drink & Do in New Orleans” post that, in the end, I purposely excluded the recipe that I originally wanted to include in that post: Shrimp Fricassee.

Buy the new Honest Cooking Magazine cookbook on Amazon today!

I figured no one would scroll allllllll the way down the post {it was a long one} and I sure didn’t want to risk having anyone miss out on this bowl of hearty goodness just because I’m long-winded. So I decided to give this its very own, stand-alone post to ensure that it got a chance to shine, front and center.

In honor of Mardi Gras, I wanted to share something with some Louisiana flair, and I found just that in a recipe I found, fittingly, in Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine. The original recipe was for Crawfish Fricasee, but since those little mud puppies aren’t as easy to get your hands on down here in South Florida {I don’t typically see them, at least} I swapped them out for plump shrimp instead.

I know that there are strong traditional methods of cooking certain things that probably shouldn’t be tampered with lest you want a feisty Cajun on your case, but I went right ahead and made a few little changes that, luckily, I don’t feel hurt the integrity of the dish.

I reduced the amount of butter and flour that forms the blond roux {the thickening base for many of Louisiana’s most beloved dishes}, and used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock just because that’s what I usually have on hand. Though the amount of liquid may seem excessive once you pour everything in and let it start simmering, I can assure you that it reduces down to a perfectly thick, rich, saucy concoction that is ideal for ladling over a bowl of hot rice.

New Orleans Inspired Shrimp Fricassee

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Dianna Muscari
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup sliced white mushrooms
• 2–3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
• 1 quart vegetable stock {or chicken stock}
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• About 1/2 teaspoon salt {more or less (depending on how salty your stock is})
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 pound raw shrimp (peeled and deveined {tails removed if preferred})

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat until melted. Sprinkle flour over the butter and whisk until smooth. Continue to cook, whisking often, until the mixture has turned a golden tan color {a blond roux}.
2. Stir in onion, carrot, celery and tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken and become pasty.
3. Add vegetable stock a little at a time while whisking to avoid lumps, then whisk in wine and add bay leaves and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bring to a bubble and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring/scraping the bottom of the pan every so often, until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened quite a bit.
5. Add the raw shrimp to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until opaque and cooked through.
6. Serve over {or with a scoop of} rice.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe by Jay Ducote found in Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine

• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Cajun-inspired