Oceana Shrimp Creole

Wondering what the difference is between Creole and Cajun cuisine? Most locals will tell you that Creole cuisine tends to be a little more sophisticated and refined than Cajun food. In fact, most think of Creole cuisine as “city food” and Cajun dishes as “country food.” What they have in common is a lot of fresh seafood and many dishes include the “holy trinity” – chopped green pepper, celery and onions. You can experience many authentic Louisiana dishes such as gumbo, étouffée, jambalaya and shrimp creole at Oceana Grill in the French Quarter.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or chopped canned tomatoes with their juice
• 1 cup shrimp or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds medium shrimp peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a medium-heavy pot over medium heat and add the flour.
2. Cook, stirring to make a blonde roux, 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic.
4. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned about 6 minutes.
5. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, shrimp stock, salt, and cayenne.
6. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Remove the bay leaves and add the parsley. Serve over rice.