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New Orleans Shrimp Melt

Source of Recipe

From "Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches" by Emeril Lagasse


Recipe Introduction

"New Orleanians are always looking for ways to use the abundance of fresh Gulf shrimp. Shrimp salad is not only a classic but a staple down here. What could make a shrimp salad better? How about melting cheese over the top and making a shrimp melt? Now that's what I'm talking about."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 quarts water
â—¦ 1 tablespoon liquid crab boil, preferably Zatarain's
â—¦ 2 lemons, cut in half
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ 2 pounds medium shrimp (16 to 20-count per pound), peeled and deveined
â—¦ 8 slices brioche or challah bread
â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
â—¦ ½ cup mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
â—¦ ¼ cup minced red onion
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
â—¦ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
â—¦ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon Crystal or your favorite Louisiana red hot sauce
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
â—¦ 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese


Recipe

In a 6-quart saucepan set over high heat, combine the water with 2 teaspoons of the crab boil, the lemons, the bay leaves, and a generous amount of salt (enough to make it taste almost like seawater), and bring to a boil.

Prepare an ice bath, and add the remaining 1 teaspoon crab boil to it along with enough salt to make the water taste like the sea.

Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
Immediately transfer the shrimp to the ice bath and allow them to cool. As soon as the shrimp are cool enough to handle, chop them into bite-size pieces.

Position a rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler. Spread one side of each slice of bread with the butter, and set on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° F and move the rack to the upper third of the oven, if necessary.

In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, red onion, parsley, chives, lemon juice, mustard, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the chopped shrimp. Top the brioche slices with the shrimp salad, and sprinkle with the Gruyère. Bake in the upper third of the oven until the cheese is melted, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 sandwiches;
4 servings