Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Stew (using crushed tomatoes and red wine)

CAJUN SHRIMP STEW

"The flavor of the shrimp really comes through in this stew. You can substitute crawfish, other shellfish, cooked chicken, and chicken stock for the shrimp."

3 cups water (for cooking shrimp)
1 pound raw medium prawns, peeled (18 to 24)
1 lemon, divided use
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 red bell pepper seeded, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon file seasoning
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 cup red table wine
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup shrimp cooking liquid
1 1/2 cups fish stock (or bottled clam juice)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided use

Cook rice first, and while it is cooking, cook shrimp.

To cook shrimp, bring water to a boil; add shrimp and boil for 6-8 minutes until color changes to pink; rinse in cold water (to stop cooking), and drain.

To prepare stew, squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon over cooked shrimp and set aside.

Put oil in 6-quart saucepan and cook onion on medium heat until it is softened and translucent, 6-8 minutes.

Add garlic, chopped peppers, celery, thyme, and file seasoning to pan and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add tomato, wine, pepper flakes, shrimp cooking liquid, fish stock, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes and taste to determine the level of "heat" from the peppers. Add more if necessary.

If you want to thicken it, add cornstarch mixture and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup parsley. (The stew can be made to this point and held in the refrigerator, along with the shrimp, for several hours. Reheat the stew before adding the shrimp.)

Add the cooked shrimp just before you are ready to serve. Add shrimp. When it is heated through, squeeze juice from remaining 1/2 lemon over it and serve.

To serve, ladle immediately into shallow bowls, garnishing each serving with the remaining chopped parsley.

Makes 6 servings
Adapted from source: What to Fix for Dinner by Heidi Rabel