Barbequed Shrimp
It's no sacrifice avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent in New Orleans. Most parishes host at least one Friday fish fry during the season, and with the Gulf of Mexico "practically" in our backyard, other seafood options are endless (a few years ago, Archbishop Aymond declared alligator an acceptable Friday meal)!
One delicious seafood preparation is barbequed shrimp. The grill is not involved--the term "barbeque" has more to do with sauce than cooking method. I have seen this dish prepared on the stove in a cast iron pan, but I prefer the broiler. Because they are cooked head on and in their shells, their natural flavor is intensified.
Shrimp size can range from miniscule to ginormous but they are measured in "count," meaning an average of number of shrimp per pound. For example, "small" shrimp can run 60/70-count (averaging 60-70 shrimp per pound), medium are 40/50-count, etc. For barbequed shrimp, look for "extra jumbo," or 16/20-count. Anything smaller than a 20-count will be troublesome to peel.
Barbequed Shrimp
2 lbs 16/20 shrimp
1 stick melted butter
2 tbsp minced garlic
Worcestershire sauce (?1/3 cup)
1 lemon
Cajun spice blend
4 tbsp cold butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees F. I start by melting 1 stick of butter. Stir in 2 tbsp minced garlic and set aside for now. Take 2 pounds of 16-count shrimp and line them up in a single layer in a large rectangular baking pan (head and shells intact). Drizzle them with the melted garlic butter, and douse them with several shakes of Worcestershire sauce and the juice of 1 lemon. Sprinkle them with Cajun spice blend and run them under the broiler. Watch them carefully: As soon as they turn orangy-pink, open the oven and, using long tongs (it's HOT!), flip the shrimp over, sprinkle with more Cajun spice blend, and return them to the broiler. Once they are pink all over and the sauce is bubbling, take them out (it's not an actual sin to overcook seafood...but it should be). Divide the shrimp into a large bowls. Whisk the sauce, adding the parsley, and the cold butter one tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust for seasoning, and then ladle this sauce over the shrimp. The shrimp can be served as an appetizer ("You peel 'em") or they can a great addition to an entree salad. Warm French bread is the preferred vehicle to mop up the delicious sauce. Be forewarned: There won't be any leftover!
One delicious seafood preparation is barbequed shrimp. The grill is not involved--the term "barbeque" has more to do with sauce than cooking method. I have seen this dish prepared on the stove in a cast iron pan, but I prefer the broiler. Because they are cooked head on and in their shells, their natural flavor is intensified.
Shrimp size can range from miniscule to ginormous but they are measured in "count," meaning an average of number of shrimp per pound. For example, "small" shrimp can run 60/70-count (averaging 60-70 shrimp per pound), medium are 40/50-count, etc. For barbequed shrimp, look for "extra jumbo," or 16/20-count. Anything smaller than a 20-count will be troublesome to peel.
Barbequed Shrimp
2 lbs 16/20 shrimp
1 stick melted butter
2 tbsp minced garlic
Worcestershire sauce (?1/3 cup)
1 lemon
Cajun spice blend
4 tbsp cold butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees F. I start by melting 1 stick of butter. Stir in 2 tbsp minced garlic and set aside for now. Take 2 pounds of 16-count shrimp and line them up in a single layer in a large rectangular baking pan (head and shells intact). Drizzle them with the melted garlic butter, and douse them with several shakes of Worcestershire sauce and the juice of 1 lemon. Sprinkle them with Cajun spice blend and run them under the broiler. Watch them carefully: As soon as they turn orangy-pink, open the oven and, using long tongs (it's HOT!), flip the shrimp over, sprinkle with more Cajun spice blend, and return them to the broiler. Once they are pink all over and the sauce is bubbling, take them out (it's not an actual sin to overcook seafood...but it should be). Divide the shrimp into a large bowls. Whisk the sauce, adding the parsley, and the cold butter one tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust for seasoning, and then ladle this sauce over the shrimp. The shrimp can be served as an appetizer ("You peel 'em") or they can a great addition to an entree salad. Warm French bread is the preferred vehicle to mop up the delicious sauce. Be forewarned: There won't be any leftover!
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