It’s fall and that means time for comfort food at our home. One of our favorite comforting meals is etouffée, the rich, spicy dish that originated in Louisiana. While it looks a bit complicated, this dish is quite simple: Start with a deeply-colored roux (butter and flour mixture) then add the ‘holy trinity’ – celery, onion and bell pepper, and you’re almost all the way there! While we’ve enjoyed etouffée with crawfish and Andouille sausage, this version with easy-to-find shrimp is sensational. Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. plus 1 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced bell pepper
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Pork Mafia Memphis Mud or Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound medium shrimps, shelled, deveined and cooked
• 4 Tbsp. chopped scallions

Directions:

1. Over medium heat, melt four tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron pan then add the flour. Whisk the flour mixture, known as a roux, frequently until it is the color of peanut butter, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the celery, bell pepper and onion to the roux and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
3. Add the clam juice and broth to the vegetable mixture and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen up all the brown bits. Add the tomatoes and seasonings and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir.
5. Serve the etouffée over white rice and garnish with scallions.

Makes 4 servings.