Chef William’s Shrimp Creole

Recipe

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• Salt
• 1/2 cup Duplin Carlos wine
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or fish stock
• 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Hot red pepper sauce
• Ground red pepper
• Parsley
• White Rice
• 6 ounces smoked ham, diced

Directions:

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat:
2. Add the onion, bell peppers, celery, bay leaf, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and wine to the pan. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened.
3. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Cook about 10 minutes.
4. Add the chicken or fish stock and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat, and cook for 25 minutes.
5. Before serving, heat in a large, heavy pan over high heat it is almost smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the shrimp large shrimp, smoked ham, 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the pan. Cook just until shrimp are pink.
6. Stir in 3 tablespoons Duplin Carlos wine and 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce. Cook down wine and then add the cooked vegetables to the skillet.
7. Top with chopped parsley and serve with hot cooked rice. Makes 6 servings.