Creole Shrimp and Sausage is a dish prepared in the Creole fashion, native to Louisiana. Creole dishes borrowed from a number of cultures, using spices and ingredients native to France, Africa, Italy, and Spain. These ingredients were combined with regional foods to create new dishes. “Creole” derives from the Spanish word “criollo” referring to a caste of people of Spanish ancestry, “shrimp” derives from the Middle English word “shrimpe” meaning crustacean, and “sausage” deriving from the late Middle English word “sausage” meaning seasoned with salt. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Creole http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/shrimp http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sausage

Traditional Creole Shrimp and Sausage is prepared by combining cuts of sausage with shrimp, tomatoes, peppers, and vegetables into a stew, and serving it over rice. http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,shrimp_sausage_creole,FF.html There are a number of recipe variations for Creole Shrimp and Sausage, that build upon the basic ingredients to include a variety of sausage, spices, vegetables, and seasoning.

The origins of Creole cuisine, including dishes like Creole Shrimp and Sausage, date back to 18th century Louisiana, where slaves adopted a number of cultural influences to prepare dishes for their wealthy slaveholders. By combining traditional French stews and soups, with local produce, meats and seafood, the cooks were able to create unique dishes, that united the flavors of African, French, Native American, and Spanish ingredients.http://uwf.edu/tprewitt/sofood/past.htm Typically, these dishes were prepared by combining meat, like Andouille sausage, with regional seafood, like shrimp, into a broth mixed with spices and aromatic vegetables. The dishes prepared in the Creole style were viewed upon as a more upscale cuisine, in comparison to Cajun dishes. http://www.tabasco.com/taste_tent/menu_planning/cajun_vs_creole_cooking.cfm As Creole cooking spread throughout the country, dishes, like Shrimp and Sausage were influenced by regional tastes and ingredients.

One of the most common recipe variations for the Creole Shrimp and Sausage is using different sausages in the dish. Although Andouille sausage is widely used, other sausages seen in the recipe include: smoked sausage, Italy Italian sausage, kielbasa sausage, and hot links. The vegetables and spices in the recipe typically include a mix of onion, garlic, and peppers, along with Creole seasonings and pepper, but can include: red bell pepper, bay leaves, thyme, and chilies to add more spice to the dish. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1918462 http://www.ethnic-spicy-food-and-more.com/shrimpsausagecreole.html