Down Home Issue
Shrimp & Potato Stew with Eggs
Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large bell pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 cups (2 32-ounce containers) shrimp stock or seafood stock
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
6 boiled eggs
2 to 3 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped green onions, green part only, divided
½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Warm long-grain white rice, for serving
Directions
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the flour, whisk to combine, and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until roux is the color of light milk chocolate, about 10 minutes.
Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery and cook until soft, scraping back and forth occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, little by little, and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Add the bay leaves, black pepper, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the cayenne, and reduce the heat so that the sauce just simmers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened, about 30 minutes.Add the potatoes and continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
Add the boiled eggs to the pot.
Toss the shrimp with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir the shrimp, ½ cup green onions and parsley into the stew and continue to cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the stew in shallow bowls over warm white rice and garnish with green onion tops.
