I looooove cookbooks, like I have way too many for any one person. I have recently started collecting vintage cookbooks too and I thought it would be fun to start sharing a few retro recipes from the tattered pages of these cookbooks. It is so very interesting to see all the unique combinations that were the norm back in the day. Even the type of ingredients used is very fascinating. I will be sharing lots of interesting tidbits with each recipe too.
This first recipe hails from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook. It is located on page 174 in the casserole and one dish meals tab. The interesting note that I took from this specific chapter is that back in the day everything was baked into a ring! Rings were popular, so I thought it seemed fitting to try one out and I can officially say I’m not a ring expert.
The other element in this recipe that was questionable was the ingredient – Number 2 1/2 can of tomatoes – which simply means that you need 3 1/2 cups of tomatoes. The 2 1/2 represents the can size. This handy chart was very helpful in determining all those can sizes.
Overall this recipe was really tasty. The creole flavors were really yummy. I typically wouldn’t pair tomatoes with shrimp but this was a winning combination! Although our ring didn’t turn out (I needed a smaller ring pan), I did mix all of the rice and shrimp together in a casserole dish and it was fabulous and still just as delectable as the ring shape! Tune in next week as we conquer Jell-O!
Creole Shrimp in Rice Ring
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tbsp. salad oil (olive oil)
- 1 No. 2 1/2 can (3 1/2 c.) tomatoes
- salt & pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 c. rice
- dash Tabasco Sauce
Instructions
- Cook shrimp
- Brown onion, garlic, and celery in hot salad oil; add tomatoes, seasonings, and Tabasco sauce. Cook 40 minutes.
- Add shrimp, cook 10 minutes.
- Cook rice according to directions. Add 1/4 c. melted butter, salt and pepper. Pack firmly in to a 10 inch greased ring mold. Let stand 30 minutes in a pan of hot water or in a moderate oven (350 degrees F).
- Unmold on hot platter, fill center with Creole Shrimp.
