Shrimp Creole

 

In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best: Before he was a television food mega-star, Emeril Lagasse made a name for himself as the chef at the legendary Commander's Palace in New Orleans, arguably the city's best restaurant at the time. Lagasse was an expert of "haute Creole" cooking, a complex blend of Creole and Cajun with signature dishes such as baked redfish en papillote and bread pudding soufflé. (The soufflé is still on the Commander's Palace menu today.) On a visit to New York City in 1984, Lagasse visited the Food & Wine test kitchen and shared several recipes, including his Shrimp Creole. The spicy Creole sauce has layers of flavor built on a foundation of the Cajun flavor trinity — onion, celery, and green bell pepper — mixed with garlic and sautéed in butter until tender. The Creole sauce can be made through step 4 and chilled for up to 4 days, or can be frozen for up to a month. This recipe makes more Creole seasoning than you'll need; save the remainder in an air-tight container.

By Food & Wine Editors

 

Before he was a television food mega-star, Emeril Lagasse made a name for himself as the chef at the legendary Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, arguably the city’s best restaurant at the time. Lagasse was a master of “haute Creole” cooking, a complex blend of Creole and Cajun with signature dishes such as baked redfish en papillote and bread pudding soufflé. (The soufflé is still on the Commander’s Palace menu today.) On a visit to New York City in 1984, Lagasse visited the F&W test kitchen and shared several recipes, including his shrimp Creole, a dish that stands proudly on its own when served over steamed rice, but which Lagasse used as an accompaniment to chicken-and-shrimp jambalaya. The spicy Creole sauce has layers of flavor built on a foundation of the Cajun flavor trinity— onion, celery, and green bell pepper—mixed with garlic and sautéed in butter until tender. The Creole sauce can be made through step 4 and chilled for up to 4 days, or can be frozen for up to a month. Photo: Greg DuPree

Total Time:

45 mins

  

Ingredients

⅓ cup plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon hot paprika, divided

¼ cup freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup garlic powder

3 tablespoons onion powder or dried minced onion

2 tablespoons plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided

2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 ¼ cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth

4 fresh bay leaves

2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes

3 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce (such as Crystal)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 ½ pounds peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp

Directions

1. Add 1/3 cup kosher salt, 1/3 cup hot paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, thyme and oregano to a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside Creole seasoning.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add chicken stock, 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon hot paprika, remaining 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in scallions, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until thick but still a little saucy, about 10 minutes. Set aside Creole sauce.

5. Heat oil in a separate large skillet over medium-high; swirl to coat. Add shrimp; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (or to taste), and cook, stirring often, until slightly pink, about 1 minute.

6. Add Creole sauce to shrimp; cook, stirring, until shrimp are pink, cooked through, and coated in sauce, 3 to 4 minutes

Notes

The Creole sauce can be made through step 4 and chilled for up to 4 days, or can be frozen for up to a month.

This recipe makes more Creole seasoning than you'll need; save the remainder in an air-tight container. 

 References:

Food&Wine