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Shrimp Creole

Print Recipe
Course: Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: creole
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 lbs jumbo Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh lemongrass (substitute 1 tsp powdered or 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 mediuim onions, diced
  • 10 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, red, green or yellow seeded and diced
  • 5 pounds overripe tomatoes or other tomatoes peeled and chopped (Brandywine or other heirloom would be good if you can find)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • leaves from 2 branches fresh basil, torn
  • pinch of sugar
  • 6-8 cups Louisiana White Rice
For the Louisiana White Rice (for 8 cups)
  • 2 tbsp chicken fat, extra virgin olive oil, or butter
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 3 cups long grain white rice
  • 6 cups chicken stock (homemade if possible, otherwise a good brand)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp salt

Method
 

  1. Put the shrimp into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then mix in the lemongrass. Heat ¼ cup of the oil in a large deep skillet over moderate heat. Add the shrimp, stirring and tossing them with a spatula. Sauté until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside while you make the sauce. Into the same skillet with the oil and shrimp juices, put the remaining ¼ cup oil and the onions, garlic, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and when the sauce comes to a simmer add the bay leaf, allspice, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes .Add the shrimp back to the skillet along with the basil and mint. Cook for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce tastes too tart, add a little sugar to balance the flavor. Remove the bay leaf. Serve over steamed Louisiana white rice.
For the Louisiana White Rice (for 8 cups)
  1. Put the fat, oil, or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.
    Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

Notes

You can fourth, half or just adjust this recipe to the amount you need. Same with the rice.