Shrimp A La Creole

By mlmason

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. shrimp
• 4 green bell peppers
• 1 can Italian tomato paste
• 1 bunch shallots or 1 large onion
• 1/2 small pod garlic, sliced
• 3/4 cup salad oil
• 3 heaping tablespoons flour
• salt & pepper to taste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Clean shrimp and boil for 5 minutes and drain!
Use iron skillet. Make a roux with oil & flour, browning well. Add onions, brown slightly, put in shrimp, salt & pepper. Stir around in roux and onions, until each shrimp is coated with the roux and none of the roux and onions stick to the skillet. At this point add the can of tomato paste and green peppers. Stir around for 15 minutes on moderate flame. After all tomato paste is sticking to the shrimp, pour 1 cup hot water in bottom of skillet and turn the flame low. Let cook for 15 minutes more, then stir well and slowly add 3 to 4 cups hot water. If this method is used carefully, the rich gravy will cling to the shrimp, but if the ordinary stew method is used, the shrimp will appear naked with no gravy sticking to them.
Taste to see if there is enough salt and pepper and serve after 1 hours' cooking. This is a delicious dish and New Orleans is famous for it.
This somewhat complicated method is the only one that is successfull and is worth while to follow carefully.