Recipe: Shrimp Creole

I am no expert on cajun food (this was my first time to make it), but my Hubby said this was exactly what he would expect to get if he ordered Shrimp Creole at Jazz (an amazing cajun restaurant on 6th Street in Austin). Quite the compliment! This dish has quite a kick and is really flavorful.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. large shrimp (rinse, shell and devein)
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1.25 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup canned tomato sauce
• 1 can peeled diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 4 tsp. Tony Chachere's creole spice or generic seafood spice
• 1.25 cups finely chopped celery
• 2.5 cups hot cooked dirty rice (I used one box of Zatarain's, which yielded the perfect amount)
• 1.25 cups finely chopped onions, in all
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, in all
• 1 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:

1. Cook 1/2 cup of the onions in 1 Tbsp. of the butter in a 4-quart or larger saucepan over high heat about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until onions caramelize, 3-5 minutes. (Onions should be a rich brown color, but not burned.)
2. Add the remaining onions, the celery, bell pepper and the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter. Cook over high heat until the bell peppers and celery start to get tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add garlic, creole seasoning and stir well. Add 1/4 cup of the stock. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes for seasonings to blend and vegetables to finish browning, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pan well.
4. Add tomatoes; reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom.
5. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the remaining stock and sugar. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (no way - lol).
7. Add shrimp and cook just until plump and pink, 3-4 minutes.
8. Serve over dirty rice; makes 5 servings.

This recipe was adapted from the one posted on the website of Jazz Kitchen in Austin, TX.