Shrimp Creole @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: I used to make shrimp creole often, especially for dinner guests, but for some reason it fell off my rotation. Then I spotted this recipe and thought I’d like to try again, especially since Key West is famous for pink shrimp. I tried it a second time using frozen gulf shrimp, which turned out fine. I also increased the celery and adjusted some of the spices to our liking. (Half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper makes the dish pretty hot!)

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 green or red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon black or white pepper

1/4 to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon flour

1/3 cup dry white or red wine 

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes 

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

Hot pepper sauce, to taste

1.5 lb large uncooked shrimp , (about 32)

4 cups hot cooked rice, for serving

Saute the celery, pepper, and onions in the butter or oil until soft. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or so. Mix together the flour and spices and add this to the pan to cook for several minutes. Stir in the wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, and stock, and simmer until well-combined and slightly thick. 

At this point you can refrigerate the sauce to use the next day. Or add the shrimp and simmer until they turn pink. Serve this over rice, with a green vegetable such as peas on the side.

Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mysteries. A DISH TO DIE FOR has been awarded the Florida Book Awards bronze medal for popular fiction! A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS (#13 in the series) is now available for pre-order...

Shrimp Creole #Recipe @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: Because the Key West pink shrimp are so outstanding down here, I am always looking for a chance to use them. Years ago, I used to make a version of shrimp creole, but that recipe is long gone. Here's a version that is not too time-consuming, can be made ahead, and serves 6-8 dinner guests happily. Or six, with leftovers for the next day.

Ingredients:

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (we figured on about 6 per person)

1- 16 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes in sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (or 3 small as I used)
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper
2-3 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup chicken stock 
3 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. oil

Cooked white rice

In a large pot, heat the flour and oil and stir over low heat for 10-15 minutes. (This is called a roux--be patient and make sure you don't burn it or the dish will be  ruined.)

Add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper, celery, and creole seasoning and sauté for another 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add the stock and sugar; bring to a boil stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to med-low, and simmer for another 20 minutes, continuing to stir.


Just before you are ready to serve, add the shrimp and simmer for about 2 to 5 minutes stirring frequently. The shrimp should be bright pink but not rubbery. 

 

Serve over rice with a green vegetable or salad.

As with most soups and stews, it helps the flavors to deepen if you make the sauce a day ahead and let it sit in the refrigerator. (Or even the morning you'll serve it.)

 
 (That is my brother-in-law's gorgeous home-grown bok choi on the side.)


And this is what I served for dessert: best ever Southern Caramel Cake. Mmmmmm.....

Lucy writes the Key West food critic mysteries:

 DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS is here now!

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