A husk is considered the “protector” of sorts for a variety of fruits, nuts, and vegetables - many of these ingredients you’ll even find on Chef Ray’s menus. This shell preserves their flavor and keeps them safe from the elements. That’s exactly how Executive Chef Ray England views his kitchen at Husk restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina. For him, the restaurant is a way to bring awareness to southern flavors and preserve traditions, albeit in a modern way. His restaurant acts as a place of respite where customers can relax and unwind for a few hours, knowing they are receiving only the best care.

Local suppliers along with the local fishery play a big part in bringing authenticity to the dishes Chef Ray and his team construct. Fishing and food are special shared experiences that have a way of bringing people together, just as it did on this day with Captain McCurry and Chef England. What started out as swapping stories on the water while reeling in redfish and black drum, turned into cherished time spent together at Husk’s kitchen on Queen Street over a plate of Chef England’s Seafood Étouffée. This dedication to carrying on their charge as protectors of the local fisheries and the flavors that make Charleston what it is are exactly the attributes that make PENN proud to partner with such incredible individuals. 

Water to cover
Fish bones
Shrimp shells
Vegetable trimmings

Put the fish bones and/or shrimp shells in a stock pot and barely cover with cold water, add vegetable trim, bay leaf. Then bring to a simmer for 30-45 mins. 

½ cup clarified butter or cooking oil
½ cup all purpose flour

Meanwhile make the dark roux: put clarified butter into small pot and heat to a smoking 400 degrees or until it just begins to smoke a little. Add the flour and be ready to stir nonstop until it's done. It will go through a "peanut butter" stage and then get into dark roux or "Chocolate Roux" aka “Cajun Napalm”. To stop it from cooking and burning add the Holy Trinity Veg to sauté in the hot roux. This will stop it from over cooking and it will quickly cook the vegetables. 

3 g oregano
12 g cumin ground
12 g onion powder
25 g chile powder
40 g black pepper ground
50 g paprika smoked
1 g salt kosher powder
75 g brown sugar
75 g garlic granulated

The blackening spice is going to be in grams. I prefer the accuracy of grams and most people have scales that do both. It's also easier to scale up or down. 

Strain the seafood stock and set aside. 

Begin to ladle some stock into the roux pot while stirring on medium heat. Repeat this process one ladle at a time until the desired thickness is reached. 

To finish and season the Étouffée: to taste add Worcestershire sauce, Crystal Hot sauce, and several spoons of blackening spice. Set aside until fish or shrimp is cooked.