Shrimp Creole

 

Shrimp Creole

One thing I loved about traveling to New Orleans for work is the opportunity to learn what good Creole or Cajan food should taste like. I was taught by a Cajan Chef that a good Shrimp Creole combines what he called the Holy Trinity of ingredients good sized shrimp, cleaned and deveined, Roma tomatoes and a deeply colored and flavored roux that is made into a thick sauce. Served over hot rice. This recipe can feed up to six people, but you can freeze some for another day, just heat up slowly on the stove on low to medium heat.

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

2 pounds fresh or frozen uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Hot cooked White or Jasmine rice

Directions

In a large heavy skillet, combine flour and oil until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until flour is a rich deep brown. Add onion, green pepper and celery; cook until vegetables are tender, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the next 6 ingredients. Cover and simmer until heated through, for 4-5 minutes.

Add shrimp. Simmer, uncovered, until shrimp turns pink, 5-6 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Serve with White or Jasmine rice. I also serve homemade sourdough bread with honey butter.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week. 

Meals for One, Potpourri of Frugality. Kilbride