Ingredients

For the Creole seasoning:

  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (I actually prefer a blend of smoked and regular paprika)
  • a tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder or dried onion flakes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or dried garlic flakes
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the shrimp:

  • 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 15oz can of tomato sauce or puree
  • 1 cup shellfish stock
  • 1-2 teaspoons of hot sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoons thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • steamed rice for serving

Note: the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of sugar, but the hot sauce I used has a bit of agave sweetness to it so I skipped the sugar.

Directions

  1. Combine all Creole seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. Toss the raw shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning and set aside.
  3. In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter of medium-low heat. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until a roux the color of peanut butter forms, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper, increase the heat to medium and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
  5. Stir in 1/3 cup stock, then the tomato sauce, hot sauce, thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally to make sure that the bottom doesn’t burn. Add more stock as needed and stir to combine.
  6. Once the stew has thickened, add the seasoned shrimp and simmer until opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes, turning each piece halfway through the cooking time. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  7. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle with scallions and parsley, and serve over steamed rice.

Recipe slightly adapted from The NY Times.

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