Cook\'s Country - 2019-04-05

28 COOK’S COUNTRY • APRIL/MAY 2019

I LOVE BRINY, sweet, tender shrimp.

And for me, one of their best uses is

the bold, nuanced Louisiana dish called

shrimp Creole. I wanted to make a rendi-

tion of this jazzy, saucy dish to serve two

hungry diners on a busy weeknight.

My research led me to recipes that

called for Creole seasoning mixes contain-

ing 10 or more ingredients; homemade

stocks that required sautéing, simmering,

and then straining; and active cooking

times measured in hours, not minutes.

I was determined to streamline the pro-

cess without sacrifi cing the punchy fl avor

of this classic dish—cooking for two is just

as important as cooking for 20. I wanted

a rich sauce base, the perfect amount of

spice, and delicately cooked shrimp.

I began with the traditional roux of

butter and fl our, added the “holy trinity”

of Louisiana cooking (chopped green bell

pepper, onion, and celery), and cooked the

vegetables until they were softened and

lightly browned before deglazing the pan

with wine.

Tomatoes were another essential

ingredient. I tested fresh tomatoes against

canned crushed tomatoes, canned whole

tomatoes, and tomato paste. Fresh toma-

toes made for a mealy sauce that required

long simmering to thicken, so they were

out. Tomato paste was too dense. But

canned crushed tomatoes were just right;

their consistency and fl avor made the

most sense. I added a little chicken broth

to thin the sauce and a splash of Worces-

tershire for a bit more savoriness. But I

still needed some spice.

Whether it’s billed as Cajun or Creole,

a Louisiana-style spice mixture can deliver

lots of ingredients and fl avor in a single

spoonful. Instead of a homemade blend,

I went with our winning store-bought

Louisiana seasoning, Tony Chachere’s,

which had just about everything I wanted,

including plenty of salt (I did add a little

extra fresh thyme).

It’s no secret that overcooked shrimp

can turn rubbery and hard. So I took a

gentler approach, slowly poaching them,

covered, in the sauce until they were just

done—about 5 minutes. Off the heat, I

stirred in lemon juice and sliced scallions

to bring it all into sharper focus.

With that, I’d hit my target: a fl avorful

sauce studded with tender, sweet shrimp.

And the best part? It’s a weeknight-friendly

dinner for two that comes together in well

under an hour.

Shrimp Creole

The Color of Roux

Recipes call for varying shades of roux,

the simple cooked mixture of fl our and

fat. Roux adds body, sheen, and fl avor to

many dishes. Here we call for the roux to

be cooked to the color of peanut butter

to give our version of this dish the proper

look, feel, and fl avor.

Shrimp Prep
Here’s how to get shell-on shrimp
ready for cooking.

1. Use kitchen shears to snip
   through convex side of shell.


2. Pull shell from shrimp,
   taking care to remove small
   “legs” from concave side.


3. Remove black vein before
   removing tail.

SHRIMP CREOLE FOR TWO

Serve over white rice.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose fl our

½ cup fi nely chopped onion

½ cup fi nely chopped green bell

pepper

¼ cup fi nely chopped celery

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Original

Creole Seasoning

¼ cup dry white wine

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

½ cup chicken broth

¼ cup water

1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

12 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to

25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and

tails removed

1⁄8 teaspoon table salt

1⁄8 teaspoon pepper

2 scallions, sliced thin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Melt butter in large saucepan over
   medium heat. Add fl our and cook,
   stirring often, until roux is peanut
   butter–colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Add
   onion, bell pepper, celery, thyme, and
   Creole seasoning and cook, stirring
   often and scraping up any browned
   bits, until vegetables are softened,
   about 5 minutes.


2. Add wine and cook until nearly

evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add

tomatoes, broth, water, and Worces-

tershire and bring to boil. Reduce heat

to medium-low, cover, and simmer

until slightly thickened, about 15 min-

utes, stirring occasionally to prevent

scorching.

3. Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with
   salt and pepper. Stir shrimp into
   saucepan and cook, covered, stirring
   occasionally, until opaque and cooked
   through, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir
   in scallions and lemon juice. Season
   with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

This comforting

dish features lively

Louisiana flavors.

COOKING FOR TWO

You don’t have to go to New Orleans—or spend

hours cooking—to taste real-deal Creole cooking.

by Natalie Estrada