Sunday Dinner

Since today is race day (Yea!), this dinner was cooked on Friday. And it's Lent, which means no meat on Fridays. So here in NOLA that means seafood. I know, not much of a sacrifice. But I didn't make the rules.

Like I said last week, the idea have have for this post is healthier Cajun/Creole food.  The basis of the dish is a roux. Roux=half fat+half flour≠healthy. You can make a oil-less roux but I've only done that once before. Instead, I just reduce the amount of roux down drastically. I usually double this recipe as well.

Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
3 pounds shrimp
4tbsp vegetable oil
4tbsp flour
1 lg onion, chopped
3 celery, chopped
2 bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, diced
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cup diced tomatoes
1-1/2 quarts shellfish stock (or water)
5 green onions, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped 
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
couple dashes hot sauce 

Directions
In a heavy bottom pot, heat the oil on med high. When hot add the flour. Whisk continuously until roux in light brown.

Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic for 5mins.

Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir well.

 

Add shellfish stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly. If you don't have stock, water works too. (I just happen to have some frozen from a previous shrimp boil.) Add salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook for a min of 15mins. But as with most stews and soups, the longer you cook the better the flavor. If you plan to cook it longer, cover and drop the temp to med-low and stir every 20mins or so.

Increase temp back to med-high bring to boil. Add shrimp, green onions and parsley and continue to cook five 5mins.

Serve over rice. I add the hot sauce after I serve it because the girls are too little for food that's too spicy.

I hope y'all enjoy this recipe. It's a classic around here. It's more Creole than Cajun. But really that's just splitting hairs. Just a heads up, making a roux takes patience and practice. You can buy roux in a jar (I assume you can get it in every part of the country). But I find it to be too dark. Also, if you use jar roux, you can't control what's in it.

If you have any question/comments about this recipe, pls leave me a comment or email at megmehell at yahoo.