This recreation of Commander’s Palace’s Shrimp Creole was adapted by Emeril Lagasse. It’s a wonderfully satisfying one-dish meal that can be adjusted to your heat preference. I always try to keep a 2 lb bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer and rotate with a new bag whenever the jumbo shrimp goes on sale at the local market. I ask the fish monger to check the back for a frozen 2 lb bag since the individually frozen pieces are easily separated by how many pieces I need at any time. The displayed shrimp is usually thawed from these bags. Frozen shrimp is so easy to defrost last minute and can be used in so many different recipes. Add as much heat as you prefer with either jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, or hot chili powder. Enjoy over a nice bed of steamed rice of your choice.

Ingredients:

Creole Seasoning

• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp hot paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp ground oregano

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 /2 Tbsp flour
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 14 oz can of diced tomato
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• Steamed rice
• 2 scallions, chopped for garnish

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy pan or dutch oven and slowly add flour to make a rue on low-medium heat.
2. Add diced onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and jalapeno or serrano and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened.
3. Add 2 Tbsp of the Creole seasoning and cook for a few seconds to coat the vegetables.
4. Add the chicken broth and the canned tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Add the Worcestershire sauce, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the the sauce is thickened. Approximately 10 minutes.
6. Add more broth if necessary and season with salt to your taste.
7. Add the 2 Tbsp of oil to a separate skillet and saute the shrimp with 2 Tbsp of the Creole seasoning until the shrimp is just cooked. Do not overcook the shrimp. When the tail curls in and the shrimp is opaque, it is done.
8. Scoop a generous portion of the Creole sauce over a bed of rice and add shrimp on top. Garnish with chopped scallions.