(Excerpted from "My New Orleans" by John Besh, Andrews McMeel Publishing)

Traditionally a roux-and-tomato-based dish, Shrimp Creole in my new version has Vietnamese influences; it's spicy and sweet, full of herbs and flavour.

Any ultraripe tomatoes will work.

The amounts given feed a typical Sunday supper at my house; for six to eight, halve the ingredients, but don't worry too much: There's a lot of forgiveness.

SHRIMP CREOLE

5 pounds jumbo Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh lemon grass

½ 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

5 pounds overripe Brandywine or other heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Leaves from 2 branches fresh basil, chopped

Leaves from 1 sprig fresh mint, chopped

Sugar

6 to 8 cups cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe below)

Put the shrimp into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then mix in the lemon grass.

Heat ¼ cup of the oil in a large, deep skillet over moderate heat. Add the shrimp, stirring and tossing them with a spatula. Sauté until they turn pink, about 2 minutes.

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 ¼ cup oil and the onions, garlic, celery and bell peppers and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 2 minutes.

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 10 minutes. 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 flavour.

Remove the bay leaf. Serve over steamed Louisiana White Rice.

Serves 12 to 15.

BASIC LOUISIANA –WHITE RICE

1 tablespoon chicken fat, extra-virgin olive oil, or butter

1 small onion, minced

1 ½ cups Louisiana long-grain white rice (this recipe will work with most long-grain rices)

3 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 or 2 pinches salt

1. Put the fat, oil or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about five minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for two minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.

2. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Makes about four cups.