Shrimp Creole -- if I can cook it son, you can too!

Back to experimenting in the kitchen! I've been eating out a LOT and cooking the standards when I have time to cook, but I had my first go at Shrimp Creole on Fat Tuesday this year. I followed an online recipe almost to the letter, which is unusual for me, but I didn't know what to expect and I wanted to get it right. I do believe I done good!

The recipe is here, and some pictures of my progress are below:

First, prepare your mise en place, most importantly the "trinity" (celery, onions, green peppers). I added jalapenos for heat and more garlic than the recipe called for. Spices include white and black pepper, thyme, "cajun spice" and cayenne. You'll also need canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Plus fish stock or shrimp stock.



In a heavy pot, begin to gently saute your veggies. At this very early point, it's important to be patient, bringing all the elements to the proper level of doneness before moving to the next step. Low and slow is the way to go bub.



Push the veggies aside to make a little "hot spot" in the pan and add tomato paste to let the rawness cook out. Take your time, have another spritzie!



Add tomatoes, and stir in your spices and bring up to a bubble. Here I used a tin of Muir Glenn fire roasted tomatoes with garlic and they were super. Fresh tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes will work too.


Now add your fish stock (or shrimp stock if you've made it) and let it bubble for 30 - 45 minutes until all the flavors come together in the pot.


Add your shrimp and barely simmer until cooked through. This takes less than 10 minutes. More like 7. Just don't boil them, you don't want them to get tough.


Serve with white rice and garnish with green onions.


If you can't make it down to NOLA, make this dish and laissez le bon temps rouler!

Make Mine Messy!

We all know those people who eat pizza with a fork and knife. We know folks, even loved ones, who daintily dab at the corners of their mouths to remove any vestige of BBQ sauce when eating ribs. We even enjoy our finicky Aunt's predilection to bring along wet-naps in her handbag to clean up the horrors of food related mess. But I am not one of those neat eaters ... I like to roll up my sleeves and get down with my grub. If meat juice drips down my arm or tumeric yellow curry plops into my lap, all the better. I suppose this is why I love the hamburger at Toro so much.



Firstly, the size of the actual burger is perfect. This is a 6 ounce burger in a neat and tidy bun. No need to employ snake jaws to get it in your maw. You don't feel like curling up in a ball when you finish the whole thing (which you will).

What is NOT tidy is what you get if you order it "messy" and I always do. Then this burger is slathered in the same cheese sauce that the kitchen uses to douse its grilled corn -- a tangy funky creamy limey garlicky cotija cheese with espelette pepper. The only adjustment I have to make is discarding the lettuce leaf, and I think they should just leave that out altogether as it offers nothing. But whatever -- the slice of pickled red onion and the short-rib goodness of the meat itself stand out.

But what happens when you chomp down on this burger is nothing short of magical. The crusty crunch of the seared meat and the melting juicy innards combine with the messy cheese and make a perfect balance of salty, meaty, tangy, and squooshy textures together. The flavors hang so well. And before you know it, you've eaten your whole burger, asked for more napkins, and been thankful that you are a messy eater. I know I am.

While you are there and on a roll, order the churros to finish. Yes, they are greasy. Yes, you need to eat them with your mitts. Yes, they are dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon that will get on your "nice jeans". (It's OKAY!!! They are just jeans!!!) But just try it and you'll be licking your fingers and praising the messy in all of us in no time!

Get messy y'all!

Toro
1704 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 536-4300