Basic Creole Sauce

I cook a big batch of this sauce and keep in the freezer for when I need to pull together a quick dinner party or supper for my family. Just reheat and add a combination of shrimp, sausage, or chicken and serve over hot rice. Add in a combination of the optional ingredients to make it your own. You will have a meal fit for company.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 49 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups water
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pinch saffron
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups chopped carrot
• 1 pinch dried oregano, or to taste
• 1 pinch dried basil, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
• 1 pinch dried thyme, or to taste
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
• 6 1-pint canning jars with lids and rings

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in celery, onion, green bell pepper, carrot, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir tomatoes with their juice, water, chicken bouillon cubes, and bay leaves into the vegetable mixture.

Step 3

Stir in red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, saffron, oregano, basil, thyme, orange zest, clam juice, and white wine.

Step 4

Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the flavors have blended, at least 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Step 5

Allow the sauce to cool completely.

Step 6

To store, pour into pint glass canning jars, cover with lids and rings, and place into freezer. Sauce can be frozen up to 3 months before using.