Recipe: Étoufée with Sausage and Shrimp

the appetizer:

Beer and food make a great combination in The Anheuser-Busch Cookbook: Great Food, Great Beer, with recipes like Étoufée with Sausage and Shrimp; Cuban Pork with Pineapple; and Grilled Salmon with Chermoula Sauce.

Étoufée with Sausage and Shrimp

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Serve with a Dry Stout, such as Bare Knuckle Stout

7 tablespoons butter, plus 1 cup (2 sticks)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound andouille sausage,
cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 pound smoked sausage,
cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cups dry stout
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup Creole seasoning
2 pounds jumbo shrimp,
peeled and deveined
1 pound bay scallops

1 In a skillet, melt the 7 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat; be careful not to let it burn. Add the flour gradually, whisking until smooth. Lower the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is dark brown, about 8 minutes. Set the roux aside.

2 In a large saucepan, melt the 1 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add the andouille sausage, smoked sausage, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the beer, stock, and Creole seasoning and bring to a boil. Add the roux and whisk until smooth. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, still stirring often, for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops and cook until the flavors have blended and the shrimp and scallops are opaque throughout, about 15 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the étoufée into bowls and serve hot.

Cook's Tip: The cooked butter-and-flour mixture Chef Sam Niemann uses here is called a roux, a classic, flavorful base for thickening sauces and stews. He uses smoked bratwurst for extra-rich flavor.