Chef Emeril Lagasse's Shrimp Creole, A Louisiana Favorite

Chef Emeril Lagasse is well-known all over the country for his Creole and Cajun cuisine and while he may not originally be from Louisiana, he has a wonderful understanding and appreciation of our true southern cooking. Emeril has successfully opened several restaurants in the New Orleans area, as well as others throughout the United States, offering visitors a taste of New Orleans.

One of the most popular dishes in Louisiana is shrimp creole. Shrimp creole is a dish of Louisiana Creole origin, consisting of cooked shrimp in a mixture of whole or diced tomatoes, the “holy trinity” of onion, celery and bell pepper, spiced with hot pepper sauce or cayenne-based seasoning, and served white rice. This delicious Louisiana dish has been perfected by Emeril and with his simple and easy recipe, you can have a taste of New Orleans at home anytime.

Shrimp CreolePhoto byEmerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces of unsalted butter
2 cups of chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup of chopped celery
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1-14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon of hot sauce or to taste
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 cup of water
1 cup of shrimp stock
2 1/2 pounds of peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 tablespoon of Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning
1/2 cup of chopped green onions
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
4 cups of cooked long-grain white rice

DIRECTIONS:

In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, peppers, and celery to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and cayenne. Saute the vegetables until they are wilted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves, tomatoes, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer; continue to cook for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl whisk the flour and water together and add the mixture to the tomatoes. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shrimp stock, Worcestershire and hot sauce and continue to cook for 10 minutes longer. Season the shrimp with Essence and add them to the pot. Cook the shrimp until they are pink and cooked through,about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the green onions and parsley. Serve with white rice.