Shrimp Scampi

3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
 salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 pound raw, peeled, deveined shrimp with tails on
Pasta, crusty bread, or rice, for serving
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Lemon wedges

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the wine or vermouth and cook about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook, turning occasionally, until pink and opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve over pasta, with crusty bread, or over rice,  garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

 2 tablespoons butter
 2 cloves garlic
 2 cups chopped onion
 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1 pound okra, chopped
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1 pound chicken thighs
 1 pound andouille sausage links
 2 cups water
 6 cups chicken broth
 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
 1 sprig fresh thyme
 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 1/2 teaspoon file powder (optional)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery and okra; cook and stir until vegetables are tender and just browned. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.

Brown the sausage in the skillet over medium heat. Remove from the pan to drain on paper towels. Drain the sausage fat from the skillet, and pour in the vegetable oil to heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, and cook for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Remove chicken from the pan, and place on paper towels to drain, leaving the oil in the pan.

Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a deep brown color. This should take about 30 minutes.
Stir 2 cups of water into the roux, and add the onion, garlic and peppers. Set the heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer over low heat. Cut the chicken into cubes, and add to the broth along with the sausage. Simmer for about 1 hour.

Add the shrimp to the gumbo, and season with thyme, parsley, salt, cayenne pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the file powder.

Serve with rice

Crab and Shrimp Stew

This recipe was shown to me when I spent my summers in Loxley, Alabama as a youngster. I always looked forward to going to the Bay to set out Crab traps and dragging a Shrimp net. The reason I call this a stew and not a gumbo is the lack of okra or file’. The owner of the boat we went out on was born in Norway and this was basically his recipe. I changed some of the spices as he gained the knowledge of making a roux and using the trinity from the Southern Coast. I am so glad that he took the time to teach the art of catching and cleaning the bounties the Bay.

1 dozen crabs, scalded

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (heads and shells reserved)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped bell peppers

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 bay leaves

Salt and cayenne to taste

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup cream

Cooked rice for serving

To scald the crabs wash them in clean running water. Drop in boiling water. You don’t want to leave them in the hot water too long — just until they start to turn light pink, since all you want to do is keep them from biting you as you process them.

Pull the backs off the crabs, and clean out the dead man fingers, lungs and centers of the crabs. If there is any fat in the crabs, scoop it out with your fingers and put in a small bowl. Crack the claws, but do not remove the shells. Break the crab bodies in half. Set aside.

Peel and devein the shrimp. Put the heads and shells in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the oil and flour in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a dark brown roux. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the bay leaves.

Strain the shrimp stock. You should have 4 to 5 cups of stock. Add enough water to make 6 cups. Add to the roux mixture and stir to blend. Season the stock with salt and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the reserved crab bodies (and any reserved crab fat) and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the lump crabmeat, shrimp, butter and cream. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the parsley stir well and taste for seasoning. If you needed to add more seasoning, return to low for about 5 min. so the flavors can marry.  

 Serve hot with rice in bowls.

Basic Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

2 pounds shrimp, in shells

3 quarts water

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 small onion

salt and black pepper

2 pounds good Cajun sausage

2 pounds okra, sliced

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks of celery, ribbed and chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 tablespoons brown roux, see below.

Strained shrimp stock from cooking shrimp, see below.

Gumbo file’

For the Shrimp: Boil the water with bay leaves, lemon juice, onion wedges, salt and pepper. Wash shrimp and add to the pot and boil for 2 minutes. Peel shrimp and put in refrigerator until ready to add to the gumbo. Strain the cooking stock and set aside. Slice the sausage down the middle and grill until juicy and grill marks appear. Chop and set aside.

For the Gumbo: Sauté okra in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy pan. When soft, transfer to a large pot and add tomatoes. Stir and mix. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery and red pepper until soft, add to the pot.

For the Roux: You may use butter, margarine shortening or vegetable oil. Combine your choice of fat with an equal amount of flour. Melt the fat in a pan over low heat. When warm and fluid, sprinkle the flour in a little at a time, stirring. Stir constantly until brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.

Add stock to the gumbo pot stirring into the roux. Add sausage pieces. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding more stock if needed. Taste and add gumbo file’ one teaspoon at a time, stirring and tasting after each until desired taste is achieved. Add the shrimp about 5 minutes before serving.

SHRIMP AND EGGPLANT FRITTERS

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup onions

1/2 pound small Gulf White shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

3 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cups milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 cups solid vegetable shortening

creole seasoning

 Season the eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne. Heat the two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the eggplant until slightly soft, about two to three minutes.

    Add the onions and saute for about three minutes. Add the shrimp and saute until the shrimp turn pink. Remove and set aside to cool.

 Combine the eggs, milk, baking powder, and the remaining one teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating until the batter is smooth. Add the eggplant and shrimp mixture and fold to mix.

    Heat the shortening in a deep pot or deep fryer to 360 deg. Drop the batter, a heaping tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil. When the fritters pop to the surface, roll them around in the oil to brown them evenly. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with creole seasoning and serve immediately. Makes about 2 dozen.

Crab and Shrimp stuffed Eggplant

3 Whole eggplants (medium size)

1/2 Pound Lump crab Meat

1/2 Pound medium shrimp peeled

1/4 Pound butter

2 Medium onions (chopped fine)

1/4 Cup parsley (chopped)

1 Stalk of celery (chopped fine)

3 cloves garlic (chopped fine)

2 bell peppers (chopped)

salt and Pepper to taste

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 Cup bread Crumbs

2 tsp. olive oil

Place whole eggplants in large pot with enough water to cover the whole eggplants, and simmer until they are soft. When soft remove from heat and cool in cold water. When cool, cut the eggplants in half and scrape the eggplant out. Be careful not to tear skin. Next sauté onions, celery, bell pepper in butter until soft. Here in the South this is called the Trinity. Add the eggplant meat that you scraped out and the garlic cook until all the liquid had evaporated. Add shrimp and cook about five minutes. Turn fire off and fold in crab meat and parsley and enough bread crumbs to give the mixture consistency. Fill the empty shells with the mixture and lightly spread bread crumbs on top and sprinkle the olive oil on top of each half eggplant, and bake in 350 degree oven for about twenty-five minutes.

Pad Thai

1/2 lime

1 egg

4 teaspoon fish sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground dried chili pepper

ground pepper

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoon tamarind

1/2 package Thai rice noodles

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2-1/4 lb shrimp

1/2 cup All purpose flower

1/3 cup tofu - extra firm

1-1/2 cup chives

2 tablespoons peanuts

1-1/3 cup bean sprouts

Soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients, for 5-10 minutes. Julienne tofu and cut into 1 inch long matchsticks. When cut, the extra firm tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency. Cut up chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish. Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together.

Use a wok. If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do. Heat it up on high heat and pour oil in the wok. Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove them from the wok. Add shallot, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to brown. The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep things from sticking. Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce, chili pepper. Stir. The heat should remain high. If your wok is not hot enough, you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point. Turn up the heat, if it is the case. Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles. Add shrimp and stir. Add bean sprouts, chives. Stir a few more times. The noodles should be soft and very tangled.

Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve hot with the bean sprouts on top.

GLAZED SHRIMP WITH LEMON-GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

This is a great sit around dish for two. Just make sure it is a stay at home meal or you have to break out the industrial strength mouthwash for the garlic..

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons dark cane syrup

1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup chicken broth or clam juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 stick butter quartered

    In a bowl toss together shrimp, cane syrup, Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

    In a skillet, heat olive oil to medium and cook shrimp until browned.

    They will brown due to the syrup instead of turning pink.

    Remove shrimp from pan and keep warm. Add garlic and cook until slightly brown.

    Stir in white wine, chicken broth, lemon juice and thyme. Lower fire and simmer for 5 minutes, until reduced by half.

    Lower heat as low as it will go and stir in chilled butter until it is melted. Remove from heat and return shrimp to pan and toss with butter sauce.

    Have plenty of your favorite crusty bread to dip in the butter sauce.

Stuffed Alligator Pears

Alligator Pears, also known as Miritons or Chayote squash are great for stuffing.

4 mirlitons

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup Trinity finely chopped (onion, bell pepper, celery)

1/2 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and chopped

1/2 pound claw crab meat

1 bunch scallions, thinly diced

1/2 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

4 slices precooked bacon chopped.

salt and pepper

cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve mirlitons lengthwise. Cook them until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes, in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove seed and discard. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, preserving the shell. Coarsely chop the flesh.

Measure out and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt remaining butter. Add Trinty and cook until translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mirliton and toss to coat. Stir in shrimp and cook until just pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in crab meat, scallions, 1/4cup of the bread crumbs and the Bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the shells on a baking sheet and fill with the stuffing. Sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with reserved butter and shake a small amount of Cayenne on each for taste and presentation . Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until heated through.

BREAD DUNKING GARLIC SHRIMP

2 dozen shrimp peeled and cleaned, tail on.

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic shopping list

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 cup cream

1/4 lb. unsalted butter

1 tsp. Worcesterhsire

1/2 c. shrimp stock (or vegetable stock)

1/4 c. Shock top or other citrus infused beer, room temperature

Rinse shrimp in cold water; drain. Combine stick of butter, Worcestershire, garlic, and seasonings in skillet. When butter is melted, add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes, shake pan instead of stirring. (Do not over cook.) Add cream and stock. Cook for 2 minutes, shake pan. Add beer, cook 1 minute. Serve in bowls with shrimp around the edge like a cocktail. Divide the cooking liquid evenly and serve with lots of Buttered and Toasted French bread for dunking. This recipe is a starter for 4 people.

New years Hangover shrimp

This is the way that I prepare shrimp for shrimp cocktails on New Year’s Eve. The cooking liquid is strained and reserved in a pitcher as a morning after kick. Two batches give you a lot of shrimp and a good spicy Bloody Mary mix.

 1 32oz. can of Spicy hot V-8 juice

1 can favorite beer

3 to 6 jalapeno peppers split in half (you can substitute habaneros)

1 large onion chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

1 tsp. salt 

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

Place all ingredients, except shrimp, in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and remove from heat. Let stand about 20 minutes. Strain and reserve cooking liquid and chill shrimp. I do red and white shrimp cocktails. One with standard cocktail sauce and one with a dill sauce.

Easy Spicy Shrimp

This is a recipe that I had to improvise for a New Year’s Eve party. I did not have enough V8 for the hangover shrimp. But this seemed to be a hit.

2 small cans spicy hot V8

2 pounds cleaned and deveined shrimp (tail on)

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup cream

2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's instant roux mix

1 tablespoon pepper jelly

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.

Juice of one lemon

Marinate the shrimp in the V8 for at least an hour.

Melt the butter in a skillet and add the shrimp with the marinate.

While the shrimp are cooking, mix the instant roux mix with the cream and mix well to dissolve. When shrimp are almost completely pink, add the cream and roux mix along with the pepper jelly, seasoning and lemon juice.

Cook on medium until shrimp are just pink.

Remove shrimp from sauce and plate.

Pour sauce in a bowl for dipping and serve with some toasted French Bread

Seafood Dirty Rice

1/2 cup bacon, chopped

1/2 cup chicken livers

1/2 cup shrimp, chopped

3 1/2 cups fish stock

1 cup Shock Top beer

1/4 cup onions, minced

1 tablespoon garlic

3 cups rice

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

salt and black pepper, to taste ( some crushed red Pepper if you want to hot it up)

Cook off bacon. Add chicken livers and cook through. Remove, chop, and return to pan. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic and sauté. Stir in rice, butter, and fish stock. Then pour the beer into the fish stock. Bring to a simmer. Cover and finish in 400º oven for 20 minutes. Season with parsley, salt, and pepper.

Shrimp Victoria

If you have ever been to Brennan's in New Orleans, you know this dish. If not, you can enjoy a simple taste of The Big Easy at home.

1 lb Peeled and De-veined shrimp

 1/4 stick unsalted butter

 1/8 Cup Thinly sliced green onions

 1/8 Cup Finely Chopped fresh basil

 1/4 Cup white mushrooms Thinly Sliced

 2 oz dry white wine

 2 oz heavy cream

 1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste

 Pinch of white pepper

 Pinch of cayenne

 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

 1 Tbsp White Roux (Equal parts unsalted butter and flour, cooked together for 1-2 minutes)

 2 oz sour cream

  Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the Green Onions, Mushrooms, Basil, and Shrimp. Saute until the shrimp just start to turn pink. Add the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the Heavy Cream, Worcestershire and seasonings. Add the Roux, cook for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, adjust the seasonings if necessary, serve immediately. Brennan's serves this over parsley rice, it goes well over pasta also.

   I sometimes replace the wine with spicy hot V8 to make this a little different

Cajun BBQ Shrimp

4 slices bacon chopped

2 lbs butter, and 1lb margarine + 1/4 stick margarine

1/4 cup fine chopped trinity

2 T Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

6 oz of a good Ale.(I use Lazy Magnolia Pecan Ale)

1 tablespoon  Angle dust. ( See Comment)

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. oregano

2  cloves, roasted garlic crushed

1 cup shrimp boil, I always pour an ice tray full and cover with plastic wrap. (let melt at room temp)

1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

36-40  large uncooked, unpeeled shrimp, head on

1 tablespoon plain flour

Heavy cream.

Preheat oven to 375.

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle with the Angle dust, toss well and set aside.

Render the bacon in a Dutch oven, add the margarine, trinity and crushed garlic. Cook on medium for 1-2 minutes.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, Ale and Tabasco sauce, Basil, Black pepper and oregano and Mustard. Cook on medium for about 3 minutes. Add the Butter and shrimp and toss well until butter is melted and shrimp are well coated. Place into the preheated oven and cook 15-20 minutes. 

In an Iron skillet melt the 1/4 stick of margarine add the Flour and make a roux. Add just enough of the shrimp boil to make a gravy that is on the thick side. Remove from heat.

When the shrimp are done, add a couple of teaspoons of the thick gravy to the pot and stir well. Take a ladle or two of the juices in the pot and add to the thick gravy until it is just smooth. 

Place a good serving of the shrimp in a bowl and plenty of the sauce. I serve this with toasted French bread and a side of fried green tomatoes or crab cakes topped with the gravy.

Shrimp and Grits

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp.
2 Thick slices country ham- chopped

2 garlic cloves diced

Tbsp. butter

1 cup - water

1 cup - milk

1 cup - heavy cream

1 cup - melted butter

1 teaspoon - salt

1/4 cup jack cheese

1 cup - yellow grits 

Sauce:

Juice of 1 lemon

1 stick - butter, melted

4 - egg yolks

1/2 cup - heavy cream

To prepare the grits:

Bring all liquid ingredients and salt to a low boil. Add stir in grits slowly on medium to low heat. Stir and watch for 20 minutes, Add the cheese cover and finish on very low heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile: Brown the ham in a skillet and remove.

In the same skillet saute the shrimp in butter and garlic until just pink, add back the ham and remove from heat.

To prepare sauce:

In a bowl whisk lemon juice and butter into egg yolks in a slow steady stream. In a double boiler on medium bring the heavy cream to a simmer while stirring. Remove from heat and add a small ladle of the hot cream slowly to the egg yoke mixture slowly while whisking to temper the yokes. Place the double boiler back on medium heat and whisk in the yoke mixture. Continue to slowly whisk until desired thickness is reached and remove from lower boiler. 

To serve:

place a good helping of grits in a bowl, top with shrimp, ham and sauce.

Grilled Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp

24 jumbo shrimp, uncooked

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 tablespoons sliced garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes shopping list

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

Salt and pepper

12 slices (about 4 ounces) paper-thin imported prosciutto, cut in half crosswise

lemon wedges

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving tails on.

In a large bowl or large re-sealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, rosemary, garlic, red pepper, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Add the prepared shrimp and toss to coats. Let marinade for approximately 1 hour (no more).

Preheat barbecue grill (oil hot grill to help prevent sticking).

When ready to grill, remove the shrimp from the marinade and tightly wrap each with a slice of prosciutto (because the prosciutto is thin, it will stay wrapped).

Place shrimp onto hot grill and cook approximately 2 to 3 minutes on one side; turn and cook another 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in center (cut to test). Remove from grill.

To serve, arrange warm shrimp on a large serving platter with lemon wedges.

Creamy Shrimp and Leek soup

1 1/2 lbs. sm. shrimp, peeled and veined

1 bunch leeks, cleaned & sliced

1 stick butter

2 cans chicken broth or one container of chicken stock

1 3/4 cups water

1 tbsp. chopped garlic

5 inner celery stalks, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tbsp. Cajun spice

1 tsp. marjoram

4 oz. sherry

2 tbsp. flour

8 oz. whipping cream

4 oz. Tasso ham (or a good smoked ham)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté leeks, garlic and celery for 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat vegetables. Cook 2 minutes. Add chicken broth a little at a time so that the flour and broth blends well and does not lump. Add parsley, Cajun spice, marjoram, sherry, salt and pepper and cook on medium for 15 minutes. Add Tasso and cook for 30 minutes on low-medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 15 minutes. Stir in warm whipping cream which has been warmed on low for 5 minutes or in a microwave for 1 1/2 minutes and continue to cook 5 minutes.

Serve with Toasted French bread or in a bread bowl.