Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
NOWHERE DOES the sound of jazz and blues sizzle more tantalisingly than where it all began in New Orleans, Louisiana.
As the soothing rhythm floats through the air it mingled with the mouth-watering aroma of creole and Cajun. Delectable seafood all the way up to your neck and that's the perfect plate for good ole jazz music.
Shrimp Creola
1/2 pound fresh shrimp,
peeled, deveined and washed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf 1 small piece of
bell pepper, cut fine.
1/4 lemon
1/8 teaspoon sweet basil
1 - 1/2 cups water pinch
nutmeg
1 - 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 small piece of bay leaf
1 small onion, chopped 1/8
teaspoon red pepper
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup whole tomatoes, fresh
or canned A small amount
of green onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Liquid from boiled shrimp
METHOD
1. In a stew pan, add water, salt, bay leaf, lemon and shrimp. Cook over medium heat. When water comes to a boil, cover and cook five minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add tomatoes, shrimp broth, sugar, and bell pepper, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add sweet basil, nutmeg, red pepper and salt to taste. Cook a few minutes more.
3. Make a paste with corn starch and 2 tablespoons water. Stir it into the sauce; stir and cook until it thickens. When ready to serve, add the boiled shrimp, parsley and green onion. Serve with cooked rice.
Serves 2.
COOKING TIP: For improved flavour, cook shrimp, and make sauce, but do not add shrimp to sauce until ready to serve, chill. Be my guest.
Shrimp Jambalaya
4 cups cooked rice
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
Salt, black pepper, cayenne
pepper to taste
1 pound peeled and deveined
medium-size shrimp (raw)
1 cup green onion, chopped
fine cup parsley, chopped fine
METHOD
1. Cook rice while making jambalaya (or use leftover rice).
2. Melt butter in heavy 3-quart pot. Sauté onion, celery, pepper and garlic until onion is wilted, three to five minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, stirring constantly 3 minutes over low heat. Add 1 to 1/2 cups of water and sugar.
4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp.
5. Cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through (three to five minutes).
6. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup water and add. Cook another 2 minutes. Mix ingredients with cooked rice.
7. Add green onion and parsley. Mix again.
