Seafood Creole Dirty Rice

with Baby Shrimp, Crawfish, & Smoked Ham 

I recently began writing down my recipes. Mostly because I realized I make these delicious things and I FORGET (...ugh) what I put into it.

So I've been saving everything... AND USING A MEASURING CUP (gasp!).

The next thing is, I've been getting ready for a move. And while I could get into all the awful things about moving that I've encountered so far, there has been nothing worse than me trying to get through my pantry.

For those of you that really know me, you know that I always have a HUGE, well-stocked pantry and freezer, so this has been extremely difficult for me to do. (I have a gigantic list of things I believe you should always have on-hand... that list will come later.)

But... back to the move. So, since I'm moving I have been trying to eat through my stash to help limit what I have to pack up or transport 2+ hours away. So no groceries, no shopping... just eating what I have.

My recipes have been... boring? or really inventive! Really it all depends on your perception of the meal.

But, on a quiet Friday evening, with a desire to not think about packing and extra time on my hands, I raided my freezer and came up with this recipe.

Your mouth watering yet??!

All of the items are either frozen, fresh, or ambient, so it should be super easy to make. If you feel inspired... or when you have some time... give this recipe a try! And let me know in the comments below how it goes. You will not be disappointed. 😋

Creole Seafood Dirty Rice

1 TBSP EVOO

5 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Onion, diced - reserve 1/4 cup mix of peppers & onions bigger chop

1 Green Bell Pepper, diced

1 stalk Celery, with leaves, diced

1 cup White Rice, uncooked

2 TBSP Creole Seasoning Blend (for homemade version, see below)

2 TBSP Ketchup 

1/2 cup Vegetable Stock, unsalted

1/8 cup Lemon Juice

1/8 cup White Wine

1 small Salted & Smoked Ham Bone

1/2 cup Frozen Uncooked Baby Shrimp, defrosted

1 cup Frozen Crawfish Bodies, cooked, defrosted

In small saucepan, put in ham bone. Cover bone with water and then cook over medium heat until the water is cloudy and the meat is tender. Take out meat and place on cutting board to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the water from the pot. When meat is cool, dice and save the bone.

In larger non-stick pot, over medium heat add in EVOO, then onions & celery. Cook slowly until the onions and veggies soften and start to become translucent. Then add in garlic and peppers, and cook until the all the veggies soften and begin to caramelize. Stir in rice and allow to toast slightly. Season with Creole Seasoning (rice should take on a deep red color). Add ketchup, reserved salted water, diced ham & bone, and vegetable stock to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with tight fitting lid, and cook for about 15 minutes (when most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is almost cooked through).

Remove the lid and stir in the shrimp and crawfish. Additionally, add in the lemon juice, white wine, and reserved fresh onions and peppers. Cover with lid and cook an additional 5 minutes more until the shrimp are opaque, pink, & cooked through.

Serve immediately and garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of creole seasoning. Enjoy!

Creole Seasoning Blend

Creole Seasoning Blend

• 1 TBSP Onion Powder
• 1 TBSP Garlic Powder
• 1 TBSP good Dried Oregano
• 1 TBSP Dried Basil
• 1/2 TBSP Dried Thyme
• 1 TBSP Black Pepper
• 1 TBSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 TBSP Cayenne Pepper
• 3 TBSP Smoked Paprika
• 1 TBSP Goya Adobo Powder
• 1 TBSP Coriander

In jar layer all ingredients. Shake to combine.