LOUISANIA STYLE BBQ SHRIMP

From Miss Mary’s Kitchen…
Louisania Style BBQ Shrimp

When Norm and I got married, he treated us to a memorable honeymoon in New Orleans , LA that began with a romantic train ride on the “Crescent” from Atlanta to New Orleans . Part of the plan (of course!) was to dine our way through as many of the wonderful restaurants as we could fit into our week’s stay in the city. Of particular note was dining at Pascal’s Manale, a restaurant in the Garden District of New Orleans. To get there, we took the famous St. Charles trolley almost to the front door of this long-standing establishment. Known far and wide for their Barbeque Shrimp, the quaint white tablecloth restaurant lived up to the pre-billing Norm had given. We later noticed that many French Quarter restaurants featured a version of this entrée but were told that Pasqual’s Manale was the inventor of the dish.

As you are served these huge Gulf prawns swimming in a big bowl of delectable smelling broth (it’s really not a barbeque sauce), they drape a bib over you, give you lots of crusty bread, and encourage you to ‘dig in’. I was a bit puzzled by the bib, but quickly came to understand the logic behind the offering. This meal is one of the messiest, most wonderful experiences anyone could ever hope to experience! The sensory explosion of spices of the sauce is fantastic, peeling the shrimp is an adventure, and the enjoyment of sopping up every last drop of that cooking liquid is truly a gourmet delight.

The memory of that stellar dining experience stayed with me, and through years of trial and error I came up with a version of my own. No, it’s not as messy as the Pascal’s Manale version (bibs are hard to find, and I peel the shrimp!), but much of the flavor is captured in my baked version – I believe the restaurant prepares theirs’ on the stovetop. The spicy heat of the sauce can easily be regulated by reduction of the freshly ground black pepper, but I invite you to try the recipe as I’ve written it before experimenting with the ingredients. Lots of crusty bread or an optional bowl of steaming rice and a salad are all that’s needed to take you away to a New Orleans inspired meal!

LOUISIANA-STYLE SHRIMP
Serves 2

¾ lb. medium to large shrimp
3 T. unsalted butter
1 t. chili powder
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. minced garlic
2 T. dry red wine
¼ t. salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and devein the shrimp, arrange in a single layer in a 8”x8” glass baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine all other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the shrimp. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching so the shrimp don’t overcook. Serve over rice, or with bread to soak up the sauce.