New Orleans-style Shrimp and Rice

adapted from Martha Stewart Living

If you’re looking for a quick  delicious meal, look no further.   Shrimp is one of our favorite things to eat.  It’s healthy and cooks up fast.  You can use it in so many different dishes.  I have eaten my fair share of shrimp since I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast for over 40 years.  Improvements in transportation and food preservation now make it possible for folks inland to have shrimp available to them in their grocery stores.

8 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 green bell peppers, cut into slices

1 large onion, cut into slices

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 (28 oz.) canned crushed tomatoes with juice

1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken stock

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley, more for garnish

1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

1 lb large raw wild-caught  shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups cooked Basmati rice

Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour, stir until light brown. Add bell peppers, onions and celery and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, stock, parsley, seasonings and Tobasco. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until mixture is thick, about 30 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until shrimp turns pink.. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over rice.

Melt butter in dutch oven. Add flour and cook until light brown.

Clean and prepare bell peppers, onions and celery.

Add to dutch oven and cook until tender.

Add remaining ingredients except shrimp and rice. Simmer until thick. Then add shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until shrimp is pink.

Serve over rice.