Shrimp Creole

1. Peel the shells off the shrimp.
2. Use a sharp knife to make a shallow cut down the back of each shrimp and remove the vein.
3. Wash the shrimp thoroughly, cover and refrigerate.
4. Heat a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.
5. Add celery, onions, bell pepper and garlic to the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Stir occasionally to avoid vegetables sticking to the pan and browning.
6. Add water and tomato sauce to the saucepan and season it with salt, ground red pepper, parsley and bay leaves.
7. Let the sauce cook until it comes to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
8. Add shrimp to the sauce and increase the flame to high until the sauce boils again.
9. Then reduce heat back to a low, cover the pan and cook the sauce for 4-6 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and firm.
10. Remove bay leaves from the sauce and serve it over hot rice.

Trivia

Shrimp Creole is a part of the Creole and Cajun cuisine based in the state of Louisiana, USA. The dish was a result of mixing African, French and Spanish flavours which were brought to the local area by early settlers during the slave trade.