Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15 g) Unsalted Butter
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 2 stalks Celery, finely diced
  • 1 medium Green Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp (30 g) Tomato Paste
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tsp (10 g) Creole or Cajun Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) Dried Thyme
  • 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) Cayenne Pepper (optional)
  • 1 x 14.5 oz can (411 g) Diced Tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 1 large Bay Leaf
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Granulated Sugar (optional)
  • 5 lbs (680 g) Large Prawns, peeled and deveined
  • Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 2 Spring Onions (Scallions), sliced thinly, for garnish
  • 1/4 cup (10 g) fresh Parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Mise en Place: Dice all the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Peel and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Sauté the Trinity: Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and translucent, but not browned. This is crucial for flavour depth.
  3. Toast the Paste: Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the pot. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes until the paste darkens slightly, which removes the raw, metallic tomato taste.
  4. Add Spices: Stir in the Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne (if using), and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Deglaze/Simmer: Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the canned diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and sugar (if using).
  6. Bring the mixture to a proper simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let the sauce gently bubble for 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to marry up.
  7. Adjust Consistency: After 15 minutes, remove the bay leaf. Check the sauce consistency and adjust with more stock or by simmering uncovered, if necessary.
  8. Add Prawns: Increase the heat back up to medium-low. Add the peeled and deveined prawns directly into the simmering sauce.
  9. Quick Cook: Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring gently, until the prawns are opaque, pink, and just curled into a 'C' shape. Do not overcook.
  10. Final Seasoning: Taste the dish and adjust salt and pepper as needed to make the spice pop.
  11. Serve: Ladle the Prawn Creole generously over fluffy rice, garnish immediately with fresh parsley and spring onions.