Shrimp Étouffée

Ingredients

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1½ pounds shrimp (31/40 count), peeled, deveined, and tails off

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ghee (sub vegan butter for dairy-free)

2 tablespoons arrowroot flour

1 cup minced yellow onion (about ½ medium onion)

¾ cup minced celery (about 1 large stalk)

¾ cup minced green bell pepper (about ½ medium bell pepper)

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 cups (16 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth or seafood stock

1 bay leaf

Cooked packaged cauliflower rice (sub steamed white rice if not Whole30 or grain-free), for serving

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving (1 like Crystal)

Directions

IN a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and season with the salt and pepper.

Cook the shrimp until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.

REDUCE the heat under the skillet to medium and add the ghee to melt.

Add the arrowroot flour and stir, pressing all the clumps out with the edge of a spoon, until the mixture is smooth. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and three-quarters of the green onions and season with the oregano, rosemary, thyme, paprika, cayenne, and pepper flakes.

Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and the spices are fragrant, about 4 minutes.

ADD the diced tomatoes, fish sauce, and broth and stir until just incorporated. Add the bay leaf and bring to a rapid simmer.

COOK, uncovered and stirring often, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for 5 to 7 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce a bit.

REDUCE the heat to low and return the shrimp to the skillet. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Discard the bay leaf.

SERVE over prepared cauliflower rice and garnish with parsley, the remaining green onions, and hot sauce to taste.