Ingredients:

  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery, finely diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup chicken or seafood stock
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cups uncooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions:

  1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper (the Holy Trinity). Sauté slowly for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent.
  2. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture. Stir well to coat everything, creating a quick roux substitute. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  4. Slowly whisk in the chicken or seafood stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  5. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let the sauce gently bubble for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the flavours to marry.
  6. While the sauce simmers, cook your white rice according to package directions.
  7. Increase the heat to medium-low. Add the raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp to the simmering sauce. Stir gently to incorporate.
  8. Cook the shrimp for just 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook.
  9. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, or cayenne as needed. Stir in most of the fresh parsley.
  10. Serve immediately by spooning a generous amount of hot white rice into wide bowls and ladling the Shrimp Creole over the top. Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley.