Shrimp Creole

This is definitely one of the best shrimp creole recipes! I've done all the research necessary to find out what traditional recipes are like and I've comprised this way to make shrimp creole easy without sacrificing flavor. I've prepared this dish a number of times and each time I do, it amazes me more and more! The layers upon layers of flavor come together to make a multi-dimensional dish that really is fantastic. It takes a bit of time to develop each flavor but it is well worth it. Let's begin by outlining some of the ingredients.

Watch me make Shrimp Creole here:

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Ingredients

• Shrimp-the main ingredient
• White Wine is used alongside vegetable broth to deglaze the pan and season the dish
• Aromatics- aromatic vegetables such as celery, garlic, bell peppers, bay leaves, and white onion are used in the sauce to create layers of flavor and fragrance; the flavors develop as they are added to the dish and cooked over time.
• Worcestshire Sauce- deepens the flavor of the sauce and adds a slight sweetness
• Hot Sauce-gives the sauce a little heat
• Tomato Paste-acts as the base and helps thicken the sauce
• Tomatoes-this is a tomato based sauce so the tomatoes act as part of the base
• Lemon Juice-adds a hint of acidity and a bit of zing
• Flavorful garnishes- chives and parsley are used as garnishes and round out the entire dish
• Blend of spices-there are several different spices involved here. Paprika, ground oregano, white pepper, onion powder, black pepper, salt play a very important role in the dish as they are what help bring out the flavors
• Olive oil-used to cook the vegetables
• Butter-adds richness to this tomato based sauce
• Basmati Rice-a delicate rice that's perfect for soaking up that delicious sauce

How to make Easy Shrimp Creole

The first thing that needs to be done in preparation for this meal is chopping all of the vegetables. The celery should be chopped pretty small to cut down on cooking time. Generally, I like to cut each rib in half and then slice the halves into small pieces. Peeling and deveining the shrimp ahead of time will also save a lot of time as well as chopping all garnishes.

1. Saute the vegetables in two tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Adding the celery first and letting it cook for 5 minutes is a best practice here as it is much harder and will need additional time to cook. Once this first step is complete, add the bell peppers and onions-cook these for about 2 minutes. Then add the garlic; saute it in the pan until fragrant (only for about 30 seconds) before adding in the chopped tomatoes. The key to making a delicious shrimp creole is allowing the flavors to build upon themselves so layering is key.
2. Add the white wine, vegetable broth, bay leaves, tomato paste, hot sauce, worcestshire sauce, lemon juice and all of the other spices.
3. Prepare your rice while the sauce reduces.
4. The remainder of the cooking time is spent simmering the ingredients on medium-low heat. This will give the ingredients time to fuse together while reducing the liquid at the same time. Once the liquid has almost fully reduced, (this should take about 15 minutes) the shrimp go in for the final step of the process.
5. Cook the shrimp until they've cooked through in the sauce; they should have curled into the shape of the letter "C." This should take 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat.
6. Before enjoying, serve this easy shrimp creole with rice and garnish with chopped chives and parsley.

How can I tell if my shrimp is cooked?

The most notable difference is that they will have changed color: most varieties that you find at the seafood market are gray in color. They turn a salmon-like pink color on the outside once they are cooked. Here's a good rule of thumb for determining if shrimp are cooked or not: if they've formed the letter "c" they're cooked, if they look like the letter "O" they've overcooked.

What is the difference between Shrimp Creole and Shrimp Etouffee

Shrimp Etouffee is traditionally made with a roux and includes the use of green onions while Shrimp Creole is made with okra. Sorry for any of you okra lovers out there but I absolutely despise okra so there is none in this recipe. What both of these dishes have in common is that they are served over rice.

What to serve with Easy Shrimp Creole

Usually the dish is served over rice however; I could see a few different variations here. I would also enjoy it with a variety of steamed vegetables including okra (if this is your thing). Another accompaniment I could see working well is potatoes-that would make this a super hearty dish!

Substitutions

There are several substitutions that can be used for easy shrimp creole:

• Rice-instead of Basmati rice, you can use unbleached white or even jasmine rice. Brown rice can be used as well but the reason Basmati rice was chosen is because of its mild taste and delicate texture
• Lemon Juice Concentrate-using a store bought lemon juice is a welcomed alternative here and is just fine
• Canned tomatoes-Alternatively, you can use the same amount of diced canned tomatoes; just be sure to drain them.

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Buffalo Shrimp & Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

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