1 lb shrimp
2 Cups shrimp or seafood stock (you can make it from the shells of the shrimp)
4 Tbsp lard/fat/unsalted butter
1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Onion, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Celery, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Bell Pepper, Finely Chopped
1 Cup fresh Tomatoes, diced
1/2 Cup Green Onions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp minced Italian Parsley
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 bundle of Fresh Thyme
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
4 T Creole seasoning (I added extra cayenne, Herbs De P, oregano, and smoked salt)
salt and pepper to taste

Do-ahead: you can peel and de-vein the shrimp and make the stock at any point ahead, saving a ton of time. Extra stock can be frozen. See below for a stock recipe.

Season the shrimp with 1 Tbsp of the Creole seasoning and set aside.

Melt the fat in a large cast iron skillet, make a blonde roux with the flour and add the onions, bell pepper, and celery, saute, stirring constantly, until tender - about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining Creole seasoning. Add a small amount of the shrimp stock, stir well to form a paste, then the remaining stock gradually, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. You may need a little more stock, but the end result should be the consistency of a gravy, not too thick, not too thin.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Add the shrimp, green onions, and parsley, simmer for 10 minutes more or until the shrimp are cooked through.

Serve over white rice. A light dash of truffle oil at serving really balances and grounds out the dish.

Original recipe via http://www.nolacuisine.com/2006/12/28/shrimp-etouffee-recipe/

Shrimp Stock Recipe

Shells, tails and heads from 1 lb. of Shrimp
1/2 Cup chopped Onion
1/4 Cup chopped Celery
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Lemon sliced
2 Fresh Bay Leaves
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 tsp. Black Peppercorns

Add all ingredients to a 2 qt. saucepan. Cover this with cold water, it should be about 6-8 Cups Cups. Bring almost to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Simmer for about one hour. Strain.