Shrimp Creole

By tschnet1

Ingredients

• 1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, not drained
• 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of chicken broth (or shrimp broth, if you can find it/make it!)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning, to taste
• Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• Couple dashes of hot sauce, to taste
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• Cooked rice

Details

Adapted from 12tomatoes.com

Preparation

Step 1

If not purchased already peeled and deveined, peel and devein the shrimp and pat them dry with paper towels. Set them aside for now (and consider using the shells to make shrimp stock – click here for a recipe).

Put a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Once heated, then add the onion, green pepper, and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes until they are all tender.

Then, add the crushed tomatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic, and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until reduced and thickened, for about 30 minutes.

In a small dish, stir the flour and chicken broth (or shrimp broth/stock) and then stir this into the tomato mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the shrimp with the Cajun/Creole seasoning and add them to the tomato mixture. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauces and stir everything together.

Cook the mixture for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp start to look opaque and cooked all the way through.

Stir in the green onion and parsley and let the entire mixture get heated all the way through.

Once hot enough, serve the mixture over hot rice.

Shrimp Stock Recipe

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

Add all ingredients to a dutch oven or a moderate sized stock pot. 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. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or chinois.

Stock freezes very well. I always break it up into one use batches by putting it into those plastic ziploc containers. Just remember to leave about 1 inch of headroom as it will expand when it freezes.