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Besh Barbecue Shrimp

Source of Recipe

From "My New Orleans" by John Besh


Recipe Introduction

"Where I come from, barbecue shrimp has nothing to do with barbecue shrimp or even a grill, for that matter. Growing up, we'd cook our shrimp whole�head, tail, shells, and all�in a frying pan with lots of black pepper, lemon juice, a little Worcestershire, and, of course, a ton of butter. The heads and shells really make this dish, giving it the deep, nutty flavor you can get only from toasted shrimp shells. We'd suck out that flavor with our teeth, pulling off the shells with our fingers�a messy and delicious feast. This version is a bit more complex but is well worth the added preparation time because you can make the sauce base ahead and store it in the refrigerator or freezer until you're ready for the shrimp. It's easier to eat, too!"

List of Ingredients

For the sauce base:
◦� 1 tablespoon olive oil
◦� 2 cups shrimp heads and shells
◦� � cup Worcestershire
◦� 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
◦� 2 tablespoons Basic Creole Spices
◦� � teaspoon whole cloves
◦� 2 bay leaves
◦� Juice of 1 lemon

For the shrimp:
◦� 2 pounds medium Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled and deveined
◦� Salt
◦� Cracked black pepper
◦� 1 cup sauce base (above)
◦� 1 cup heavy cream
◦� 1 cup butter



Recipe

For the sauce base, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat, add the shrimp heads and shells, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add the Worcestershire, black pepper, Creole spices, cloves, bay leaves, and lemon juice along with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to moderate and simmer until it has reduce by half. Strain and reserve.

For the shrimp, season the shrimp with a little salt and lots of pepper. Put the shrimp and the sauce base, cream, and butter in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and arrange on a platter or in individual bowls. Reduce the sauce by half until it's a rich mocha color. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and serve with French bread.

Serves 6




❧ Basic Creole Spices:

"Using this spice blend is truly the easiest way to consistently achieve the flavors I grew up with. Once made, the spices will last for six months in an airtight container."

◦� 2 tablespoons celery salt
◦� 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
◦� 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
◦� 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
◦� 1 tablespoon garlic powder
◦� 1 tablespoon onion powder
◦� 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
◦� � teaspoon ground allspice

Mix together the celery salt, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and allspice in a bowl. Transfer the spices to a clean container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and store.

Makes � cup