The tangy, slightly piquant sauce of this classic dish is perfect served over a bed of snowy white rice. Serve in individual au gratin dishes with a sprinkle of minced Italian (flat leaf) parsley for an elegant touch. Add a simple salad dressed with a classic vinaigrette and crunchy warm French Bread.

Serves 6

2 pound fresh large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon crushed thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
2 - 4 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups cooked white rice (see recipe below)

Heat oil in pan over medium high heat. Add shrimp and sauté just until they begin to turn pink. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside. Add peppers, onions, and celery (the Trinity) to pan and cook until just tender. Stir in the canned tomatoes, thyme, and the bay leaves.

Season to taste with cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and garlic. Continue cooking over medium high heat, 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce reduces and slightly thickens. Right before serving, return shrimp to the pan and heat in the sauce for 2 – 3 minutes, taking care to not over cook the shrimp.

Serve over hot white rice.

Preparing the Rice

To make 6 cups of cooked white rice:

2 cups long grained white rice
3-1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt

Start the rice after you remove the shrimp -- right before you cook the Trinity. The rice will be cooked just about the time your sauce is ready.
Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rice and salt; cover reduce heat to low and simmer for exactly 20 minutes. No peeking while the rice is cooking! Check to make sure that the rice is tender and that the water is absorbed. If not, recover and cook over low heat for a few extra minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for about 5 minutes. Do not stir with a spoon. You can fluff it up with a fork if you wish.