From: Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen

This is a fairly involved dish but it is the MOTHER of all Cajun recipes!!! We can’t even begin to describe how tasty it is! If you want to impress someone who loves Cajun/Creole cooking, this is a good dish to try.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 lbs. small shrimp, with the heads and tails (see note**)
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 3 Tbsp very finely chopped onions
• 2 1/2 Tbsp very finely chopped green bell peppers
• 2 Tbsp very finely chopped celery
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
• 1 1/2 cup shrimp stock (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 cups basic cooked rice (recipe below)
• 3/4 cup very finely chopped green onions
• 1 cup packed lump crab meat (picked over- about 1/2 lb.)- blue crab is better than king crab but is more expensive

**If shrimp with heads are not available, buy 1 lb. shrimp with shells and use the shells for stock.

Peel the shrimp and use the heads and shells to make the shrimp stock (recipe below). Refrigerate the shrimp until ready to use. Mix salt, white pepper, thyme, and red pepper. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the oil. Add the tomato sauce, onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, and seasoning mix. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shrimp stock and continue cooking over high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, cook until just done. Stir in the rice, green onions, and crabmeat, keeping the lumps of crabmeat intact as much as possible. Heat through and serve immediately.

Basic Cooked Rice:

• 2 cups uncooked rice (preferably converted)
• 2 1/2 cups shrimp stock (recipe below)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp very finely chopped onions
• 1 1/2 Tbsp very finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 Tbsp very finely chopped green bell peppers
• 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter (preferred), or margarine, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of white pepper
• Pinch of red pepper (preferably cayenne)
• Pinch of black pepper

In a 5x9x2.5 inch loaf pan, combine all ingredients; mix well. Seal pan snugly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. You can serve this as a side with other dishes, too. If you’re serving this rice with a beef dish, use beef stock, chicken with chicken stock, etc.

Shrimp Stock:

Use this recipe to make stock for Shrimp Diane or Seafood Dirty Rice. It takes a while to make and will make your house smell like shrimp for a while but it is SO worth it! You can make it in bulk and freeze it for later use. If you can find the shrimp with heads, the heads can have fat in them, which makes a better stock. If not, just use the shells/legs.

• 2 qt. COLD water
• 1 medium onion, unpeeled and quartered
• 1 large clove garlic, unpeeled and quartered
• 1 rib celery
• 1 1/2-2 lbs. rinsed shrimp heads and/or shells

Always start with cold water- enough to cover the other stock ingredients. Place all ingredients in a stock pot or a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then gently simmer for at least 4 hours, preferably 8, replenishing the water as needed to keep 1 qt of liquid in the pan. The pot may be uncovered or set a lid on it, keeping it askew. Strain, cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.