Shrimp Creole

Ingredients

5lbs jumbo Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
1tbsp minced fresh lemongrass
1/2 cup olive oil
3 medium onions, diced
10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 bell pepper, red, green or yellow, seeded and diced
5lbs overripe Brandywine tomatoes or other heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4tsp ground allspice
1tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
Leaves from 2 branches fresh basil, chopped
Leaves from 1 sprig fresh mint, chopped
Sugar
6-8 cups cooked white rice

Directions

• Put the shrimp into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then mix in the lemongrass. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over moderate heat. Add the shrimp, stirring and tossing them with a spatula. Saute until they turn pink, about 2mins. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside while you make the sauce.
• Into the same skillet with the oil and shrimp juices, put the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the onions, garlic, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2mins.
• Add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and, when the sauce comes to a simmer, add the bay leaf, allspice, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10mins.
• Add the shrimp back to the skillet along with the basil and mint. Cook for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce tastes too tart, add a little sugar to balance the flavor. Remove the bay leaf. Serve over steamed white rice.