I started to write my own intro for this recipe but the book the Barbecue Shrimp came from did a much better job....
Barbecue shrimp, one of the four or five best dishes in all of New Orleans cooking, is completely misnamed. They're neither grilled nor smoked and there's no barbecue sauce. It was created in the mid-1950s at Pascal's Manale Restaurant.
I know the amount of butter and pepper in this recipe seems fantastic. Be bold. This is not a dish you will eat often - although you will want to.
Serves 4-6. (I may need a new cookbook holder.)
For the Shrimp
1-1/2 lb Shrimp, Deveined, Peeled
(Leave the Tails!)
2Tbsp White Wine
1-1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
2 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
Pinch of Salt
1-1/2 Cups of Butter
Place Shrimp in a large skillet over medium heat, pour Wine, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire Sauce & Garlic over them. Bring the liquids in the pan to a light boil and cook, turning shrimp over with a spoon every 2 minutes, until all the brown grey color in the shrimp is gone. Don't overcook! At the first moment you think the shrimp might be done, they will be. Turn the heat to low.
Cover the Shrimp completely with a thin layer of Black Pepper. Ad the Paprika & Salt. Cut the butter into tablespoon pieces and distribute over the Shrimp. With a big spoon, turn shrimp over. Agitate the pan as the butter melts over the shrimp and emulsifies into the liquid at the bottom of the pan. When no more solid Butter is visible, remove the pan from heat.
For the Grits
4 Cups Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
Salt & White pepper
1 Cup Instant Grits
2 oz. White Cheddar Cheese, Grated
In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the milk and butter. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil.
Slowly stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes until the grits and tender and creamy, stirring every minute or two to prevent the grits from sticking.
Add some water during the cooking process if the liquid evaporates to much. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Reseason with salt and white pepper if needed. Set aside and keep warm.
Lagniappe....a little something extra1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Andouille Sausage, Diced
1/2 Yellow Onion, Diced
In a saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the Sausage and render for 2 minutes, set aside. Add the Onion and saute until Caramelized.
Serve the Grits in a bowl with the Sausage and Onion over the top and Shrimp around the edges. Be sure to have a small bowl to disgard of the shrimp tails as you go. This meal has some kick, the grits help cool it down some but if it's too much you can lessen the pepper (the barbecue shrimp recipe would disagree with me.)
