Easy prep for this one. Dice the onions and celery, mince the garlic and cilantro, peel and devein the shrimp and you are ready to go. Check out my article on peeling and deveing shrimp here.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until softened, stirring often.

When the vegetables have softened, add the flour, cooking and stirring for about 3 minutes, or until the flour-butter paste is a light golden brown. What you have just made is called a roux, or a mixture of cooked fat and flour. Normally a roux is not made with vegetables in it at the beginning, but to me, this is a great way to add flavor.

Whisk in the cold stock or clam juice. Make sure the liquid is cold. The rule for roux is to add cold liquid to a hot roux or hot liquid to a cold roux, otherwise, your sauce will be lumpy.

When well blended, add the cilantro and taste for seasoning. Add a pinch more salt and/or pepper, if necessary.

Cook for 3 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more fish stock or clam juice.

Add the shrimp. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce is thick and flavors are blended.

Add lime juice just before serving.

Serve over rice or pasta, and garnish each serving with a some fresh cilantro.