Johnny Cace's Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. cleaned & deveined shrimp (61-70)
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 Tablespoon sugar
• 1-3/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp salt / 1/4 tsp pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce

Directions:

1. Melt butter and saute shrimp in a medium sized pot for five minutes or until pink.
2. Remove shrimp from the pot, add flour and brown lightly. Add chopped vegetables and saute until onion is clear. Be careful not to let roux burn.
3. Add garlic, saute 1 minute more
4. Add tomato sauce, water, thyme, bayleaf, sugar, salt and pepper, stir well.
5. Simmer covered on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add shrimp and cook another 10 minutes, add parsley just before serving.
7. Serve over rice.