Shrimp Creole
Submitted by sbirns
Cajun shrimp Creole simmered for hours in a homemade shrimp stock with fresh tomatoes, three peppers, thyme, basil, and the holy trinity. Even better made a day or two ahead.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
3 hrsPatience is the main ingredient here, and the payoff is enormous.
This Creole sauce starts with a shrimp stock made from the shells and heads, pulling every bit of flavor from what most folks throw away. The holy trinity of onions, bell peppers, and celery sautés for a full 45 minutes until deeply soft and sweet, then joins ten fresh tomatoes, three kinds of pepper (red, black, and white), thyme, basil, and bay leaves for a two-hour simmer.
The result is a sauce so layered and complex it actually tastes better after a day or two in the fridge. Make it ahead, reheat with the shrimp, and serve over rice.
Kitchen Tips
- Save those shells. Boiling the peels for 15 to 20 minutes creates a shrimp stock that gives this Creole sauce its soul. Don’t skip this step.
- Cook the vegetables low and slow. Forty-five minutes sounds like a lot, but that’s what breaks them down into a silky base. Rushing gives you crunchy onions in a watery sauce.
- Make it ahead. The sauce genuinely improves after sitting for a day or two. The flavors meld and deepen in ways that freshly made sauce just can’t match.
- Add shrimp just before serving. They only need a few minutes in the hot sauce. Reheating them from the start will overcook them.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and devein the shrimp.
Place heads (if you have them), and peels in a small saucepan and add the water.
Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat and let boil slowly for 15 to 20 minutes.
Strain and discard the heads and peels.
Place the oil in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot and place over medium-high heat.
Add the onions, peppers, and celery and sauté stirring often, until the vegetables are very soft, about 45 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, salt, peppers, herbs, sugar, and shrimp stock and return to simmer.
Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
This is your creole sauce; it can be prepared 1 or 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator (I find the sauce is even better after sitting a couple of days in the refrigerator).
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