Make this flavorful and quick shrimp Creole

Video: Spicy and sweet shrimp Creole

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   >>> this morning on "today's kitchen" hot chef, we're talking shrimp core rio. who better to make it, john besh .

   >> i thought anne hathaway was doing it.

   >> sorry, bud. she's out of here. it's you and me. congratulations you have a new show.

   >> yeah. it's " john besh 's new orleans ." it's all about the food i've grown up with. it's been incredibly fun to create this cooking show , being an ambassador for new orleans show. it's saying, look, this is the style we cook in. the only indigenous serving cuisine left in america.

   >> you're going to make a traditional new orleans dish, shrimp creole . is there only one way to make this or can you put your spin on it?

   >> put your passion into whatever it is you're doing. this happens to be a dish that -- this is the first recipe i ever cooked.

   >> as a kid?

   >> as a cook. at 11 years old i mastered this recipe. if i can do it, anybody can do it.

   >> that makes it easy.

   >> this is a lighter version. new orleans is a kind of place where people come together.

   >> a clash of cultures.

   >> the melting pot happens to be the gumbo pot or the shrimp creole .

   >> you're going to use lemongra lemongrass.

   >> it's chopped up, it can be cursely chopped up. a little bit of salt, pepper.

   >> do you leave the tails on in.

   >> leave them off. they look prettier with them on but it's easier if you pop them off. you saute them in a little bit of olive oil in here. i stress the lighter factor because, you know, getting older, getting these gray hairs , i can't eat like i used to. so i don't want this big buttery heavy sauce. i want something light, really fragrant. it's something kids really dig. you have four boys. you're talking about --

   >> 6, 8, 10, 15. you have your hands full.

   >> this is one of my go-to things i can make.

   >> so far we've done son onion, celery, peppers.

   >> what's new orleans food without a little bit of garlic.

   >> and this is just going to saute down for a while.

   >> all i want to do is just let that stu. we can add in some crushed tomatoes. fresh tomatoes, use them. this time of year, who's got them. they don't exist. as my wife says, put a lid on it.

   >> is there any danger -- those shrimp are going to cook and cook and cook. are they going to get tough?

   >> at this point we're going to turn it down low, low, low. watch right here. nice and slow. and they've cooked. and they're going to be tender as can be. they really -- you can't overcook one of these beautiful gold shrimp.

   >> right. how do you figure out, a, cooking time, and, b, portion size. in other words, how many shrimp do you plan for each adult you plan on feeding?

   >> it really depends on kind of -- i normally say shrimp like this, you know, these are huge shrimp, four, five shrimp apiece.

   >> per person?

   >> that's really just enough. it depends on your family. i'd like to say roughly, rule of thumb , five, six sh rump.

   >> what were you tearing up here? ba basil?

   >> why don't you tear it up. you like to rough it up.

   >> this is country pristine.

   >> is shrimp creole always served with rice?

   >> you can serve it with rice, you can serve it with pasta. in new orleans , of course, it's all about smelling.

   >> what smells so nice?

   >> i was hoping the great smells and aromas --

   >> we can eat with our hands. that's fine, thank you.

   >> how are we all doing?

   >> fine.

   >> i thought i would bring a little big easy to the big apple .

   >> i could hang out here all day.

   >> this one's for meredith. here we go, tamron.

   >> thank you.

   >> this is my lighter healthier version of shrimp creole . matt, you get the extra portion.

   >> and congratulations, again, on the new cooking show .

   >> yeah.

   >> coming in this morning.

   >> it airs on public television station .

   >> very hot.

   >> it's hot.

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