Treebeards Shrimp Étouffée

Makes 6 servings

1 cup butter 22⁄3 cups chopped celery (½-inch pieces) 2 medium onions, chopped into ½-inch

pieces 1 bell pepper, chopped into ½-inch pieces 1¼ teaspoons of salt

1⁄8 rounded teaspoon cayenne pepper ¾ teaspoon black pepper ¾ teaspoon garlic powder ¾ teaspoon ground thyme 2 cups boiling water mixed with 1 teaspoon

shrimp base (see note) ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups chopped green onions (including tops) 1⁄3 cup chopped fresh parsley 4 teaspoons tomato paste 2 pounds Treebeards’ shrimp (recipe follows)

Instructions: In a heavy 5-quart Dutch oven or a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add celery, onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are almost tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix spices, shrimp-base broth, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.

Add flour to hot vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add spice mixture and cook until mixture bubbles. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in green onions, parsley and tomato paste and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cooked shrimp and cook only until shrimp are heated through. Serve with hot rice.

Note: Shrimp base is a concentrated flavoring agent such as concentrated chicken or beef base. May substitute fish base or lobster base.

Treebeards photos Treebeards, a downtown Houston restaurant institution, marks its 40th anniversary in 2018. One of the restaurant’s most popular dishes is its Shrimp Étouffée.