Queen Creole Sauce

I think Paul Prudhomme rocks.

He does.

Think about it.

However many years ago he wrote Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen and changed the way people thought about food.

Louisiana food.

He made it accessible, he made it easy and you know the dairy farmers had to be happy about the amount of butter he called for in every recipe.

Wallpaperers were happy too. I had to rewallpaper my kitchen after blackening redfish one night.

Surely other people had the same experience I did.

Red beans and rice became a staple all over the country.

Jambalaya too.

But for me, the best thing Paul Prudhomme did was introduce me to Creole Sauce.

It’s happy with chicken, shrimp, sausage, pork, fish…it’s universal. It takes the great triumvirate of green bell peppers, onions and celery to a whole new art form. And when you throw in bay leaves, white pepper, sweet hot smoked paprika (my touch), cayenne, basil, oregano, thyme (another triumvirate unto itself) you can turn a plain old dinner into something to behold.

That’s why I call her the Queen.

Make some soon.

Keep it in the freezer for a night when you don’t want to cook but want to impress.

For example a little chorizo, a little shrimp, a little rice and the Queen Creole Sauce. you’ll knock ‘em dead.

God save the Queen.

Queen Creole Sauce
Adapted from Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen

A couple of good swirls of extra virgin olive oil ( you can use 4 tbsp butter like Paul, but if not….)
3/ 4 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
3/ 4 cup chopped celery
3/ 4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 large spoonful garlic confit, chopped
1 cup chopped San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup juice from the can of tomatoes (make sure the juice is thick or use a decent jarred tomato sauce)
1 1-/2 cup chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt to taste
1/ 4 tsp ground white pepper
2 bay leaves
½ heaping tsp dried sweet basil
½ heaping tsp smoked sweet paprika
½ heaping tsp dried Turkish oregano
½ heaping tsp dried French thyme
A big pinch of sugar
A good swirl of Tabasco

Put a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and throw in the onion, green bell pepper and celery and cook til onion is translucent. Add all the seasonings, stir and let it cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic confit, tomatoes and cook for five minutes and then add the tomato sauce, sugar, chicken stock and Tabasco. Let cook for about 25 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Makes about 3 cups.
Freezes like a dream!

Click here for a printable recipe!

One Year Ago on Feeding Groom

Queen Creole Sauce