This New Orleans staple has nothing to do with a BBQ pit; it’s simply local shrimp doused in heavily seasoned butter with lots of hot French bread for dipping. Chef Frank Brigtsen created this version when he worked under chef Paul Prudhomme, using beer and shrimp stock for the sauce. For Réveillon, Brigtsen matches them with shrimp-studded griddlecakes inspired by calas, a typically sweet fritter that likely came to New Orleans with enslaved people from Africa.
Ingredients
Griddlecakes
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup raw deveined peeled shrimp (any size)
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
¾ teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic seasoning blend (see Tip)
¾ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
2 large eggs
½ cup low-fat milk
½ cup white whole-wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
2 cups brown rice
1 ½ tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil
Shrimp
18 raw jumbo shrimp (10-15 per pound), preferably with heads on
2 cups water
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon seafood seasoning
3 tablespoons beer or apple cider
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons butter, softened.
Directions
To prepare griddlecakes: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup shrimp and cook, stirring, just until they turn pink on the outside, 1 to 2 minutes. Add scallions, 3/4 teaspoon seasoning blend and ¾ teaspoon garlic; cook until the shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Refrigerate until cold, about 10 minutes.
Puree half the shrimp in a food processor. Coarsely chop the remaining shrimp.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add milk and whisk until blended. Add flour, baking powder and sugar; whisk until smooth. Add rice along with the pureed and chopped shrimp; fold with a flexible spatula until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat a griddle to 375°F or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush 1 tablespoon oil over the griddle or skillet. Using ¼ cup to make each, drop 4 griddlecakes onto the pan. Cook until browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes total. Adjust heat as necessary to prevent burning. Transfer the cakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining batter, brushing the pan with some of the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil before cooking each batch.
To prepare shrimp: Peel shrimp, reserving the heads and shells for stock; refrigerate the shrimp. Place the shrimp heads and shells and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Pass the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the shells. Measure out ¼ cup stock and set aside (reserve the remainder for another use).
Heat a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add oil, rosemary, pepper and the peeled shrimp. Cook, shaking the pan, just until the shrimp turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and seafood seasoning; cook, shaking the pan constantly, for 5 seconds. Add beer (or cider) and Worcestershire. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, 15 to 20 seconds.
Add the reserved 1/4 cup shrimp stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 to 30 seconds to allow the stock to reduce and intensify in flavor. Add butter and reduce heat to low. Shake the pan vigorously back and forth, just until the butter melts into the sauce and the sauce is emulsified. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately with the griddlecakes.
Tips
Tip: Chef Paul Prudhomme created his series of seasoning blends, which includes Seafood Magic and Meat Magic, in the early 1980s to share the flavors of his New Orleans restaurants. They typically include garlic, onion, salt and an array of spices that’s heavy on paprika. Though they’re widely available in major supermarkets, if you can’t find Prudhomme’s, swap in an all-purpose Cajun or Creole blend.
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