Shrimp Creole

Along with seafood gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets, shrimp creole is a signature dish of New Orleans, but I don’t think I’ve ever had two versions there that tasted exactly alike. Carelessly prepared (as it usually is outside the region), shrimp creole can be bland, banal, and downright ghastly, but when made with real care, according to traditional culinary principles, it qualifies as one of the South’s greatest creations. Bottles of filé powder (ground sassafras leaves) are now available a