the oldest trick in the book

When I was first becoming serious about cooking, I spent some time trolling the streets of New Orleans exploring the wonders of Cajun/Creole cuisine. During one of those foraging forays, I had a lovely meal at Mr. B’s Bistro in the French Quarter, where–unbelievably–this recipe was handed to me just for the asking!  Twenty years later, it is still one of my family’s favorite meals. This dish has complex layers of flavor: sweet and sour notes from the tamarind in the worcestershire, spiciness from the Creole seasoning, creaminess from the butter–it all works. Worth the calorie splurge. It’s no wonder this recipe is one of the oldest in my repertoire…

Mr. B’s New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

My kids jump all over this dish. Elegant for entertaining, easy enough to prepare for a weeknight dinner. Start with the freshest wild, jumbo shrimp you can find. I clean and peel them, leaving the tail joint intact. If you can find prawns with the heads on, use them by all means. The heads add so much more flavor–serve them “peel-and-eat” style and suck the heads for the most wonderful juices.

 

 

The flavor key to this recipe is the Creole seasoning blend. You can adjust the heat to your liking. Make a lot and seal it in an airtight container. You’ll find yourself sprinkling it on poultry and fish dishes–great in a gumbo. The sauce of this dish gets its richness from a base of Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, and lots of butter. I like to go heavy on the chopped garlic and lots of fresh black pepper–both fine and coarse grinds.

 

Lay the shrimp out in a large skillet or saute pan, douse with the Worcestershire sauce, liberally shower with garlic and spice blend, dot with half the butter and put in a hot oven for a couple of minutes. Turn the shrimp over, back in the oven and then finish on top of the stove. Whatever you do, do not overcook the shrimp–it only takes a few minutes till they’re just cooked through and succulent. Mount the remaining butter to emulsify and add lushness to the sauce…

 

 

… finish with fresh lemon juice. Serve with rice and lots of crusty French bread to soak up all the juices. A cold glass of buttery Chardonnay to counterbalance the heat and laissez les bon temps rouler!

 

 

Adapted from Mr. B’s Bistro

Serves 4:

 

2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16-20 count), cleaned and peeled to tail joint

5 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

2 teaspoon Creole Seasoning (see below)

5 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, diced and divided in half

juice of 1 large lemon

Creole Seasoning: