As we approach Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras, I keep thinking about Cajun food.

Therefore, it was no surprise when a recipe for Shrimp Étouffée from Cooking Light caught my eye a few weeks ago.

Although it was a bit time intensive for a week night, I found it was well worth the effort.

I began by mixing thyme, basil and bay leaf with the chicken broth and setting that aside to simmer. Then I created a roux, using canola oil and flour, to which I added the broth mixture and continued with the rest of the recipe.

Although I relied on a recipe from Cooking Light’s A New Way to Cook Light, the online recipe is very similar. However, the cookbook version mostly used canola oil rather than butter. (I actually prefer to use canola oil and skip the butter.)

The recipe, served over rice, was smooth, spicy and delicious, perfect for a chilly winter evening. As a bonus, we even had leftovers to enjoy.

Savoring this dish was like taking a mini-trip to New Orleans.

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