Shrimp Creole

New Orleans has style and flavor, and if one dish stands out as an ambassador to the culture it just might be Shrimp Creole.

Ensconced in a rich gravy flavored with the honored trinity of green pepper, celery and onion, and Cajun Andouille sausage, the shrimp are glazed with a tomato sauce thickened with a classic roux. As the famous, late chef Paul Prudhomme of New Orleans professed, layering many different peppers into the mix develops dimensions of flavor for most any New Orleans dish.

I used the classic roux as a thickening agent - though some use cornstarch.  I feel the nutty aroma of the roux and its distinctive texture are a real flavor and body asset to this dish.

Roux:

4 Tbsp butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 cup all purpose white flour

1 lb large shrimp (20-25/lb)

1 medium green pepper, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 link Andouille sausage (I used D’Artagnion brand), diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced, or 1 tsp dried

14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved

8 oz bottle clam (or lobster) juice

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the flour and slowly cook over medium-low heat to thicken the roux; it should just be bubbling.  Whisk often as the roux foams and slightly darkens.  You want a cashew-colored beige roux - if you darken it too much (walnut brown), its thickening power will diminish, though its flavor will be great.  You should have a pleasant nutty-smelling mixture. This will take about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté the trinity of green pepper, celery and onion in a dash of oil in a larger pot.  Cook the trinity for about 5 minutes, and add the sausage.  

Cook another 5 minutes or so, until veggies are softened and a bit caramelized.  Add the garlic and thyme and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Season with black pepper, crushed red pepper and white pepper, to taste.  Mixing different peppers adds layers of flavor dimensions to a Cajun dish, according to the late chef Paul Prudhomme of New Orleans. And I agree.

Add the drained tomatoes and turn up the heat a bit.  

Add a dash more oil if necessary to sauté (not boil) the tomatoes.  Sautéing distinctly develops their flavor, so make sure they fry, not boil. You should hear a slight crackle of frying, not the whoosh of steaming/boiling.

Now scrape the roux with a spatula into the veggie mixture and stir to mix well.  Cook a minute or two. Add the reserved tomato liquid along with the clam juice and Worcestershire sauce. You should have a thick, bubbling gravy. Simmer on medium-low for at least 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Make sure the sauce only simmers and barely boils.

If you are serving the shrimp with rice, now would be a good time to prepare the rice.

While the gravy develops, try this optional flavoring element. Peel the shrimp and toss the shells into a medium pot with a dash of olive oil.  Sauté the shells over medium heat for a few minutes.  The aroma will captivate you.  Add a cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes or so.  Strain the mixture and reserve the liquid.  Discard the shells.  This broth will add a great deal of flavor complexity to the dish.  Add the shell broth or about 1/2 cup water into the gravy to thin just to achieve a nice saucy consistency.

Add the peeled shrimp to the Creole sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes, only until the shrimp are cooked through and no longer.  

Overcooking the shrimp will make them tough.

Serve the shrimp Creole with rice, if desired.

Serves 4.