I absolutely love New Orleans! I spent my 40th birthday there (among numerous other times) and had a blast! Always have a blast there! One of my favorite trips to New Orleans was a fun half-day trip to the New Orleans School of Cooking. The chef was funny and entertaining, the food was great and they included beer right along with it!
With Mardi Gras right around the corner, I started thinking about some creole style cookin’. This is a recipe I found many years ago and it’s about as New Orleans as you can get because this came from one of the famed Prudhome family chefs, Enola. With all recipes, I improvise with what I have on hand. I’ve made a few changes noted here…
Shrimp Creole
- 1 tblsp Earth Balance buttery spread (or butter)
- 2 cups finely chopped onions
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
- 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 clove garlic,minced
- 2 cups Seafood Stock or water
- 3 tblsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground oregano
- 1/8 tsp ground thyme
- 1/8 tsp dried basil leaves, crushed
- 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked
In a 6 qt pot over medium heat, melt the margarine. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery; saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the shrimp and rice. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice.
Bon Appetit!