Ah, went for a nice walk with my husband this beautiful morning. Saw lots of pink (and yellow and green) popping up all over the neighborhood. Today is the eve of my wonderful husband’s birthday! We will celebrate it all weekend.
One of my husbands favorite things to eat is shrimp! Not just any shrimp – Wild American Shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico!
He likes them just about any way. One of our favorite ways is grilled with my special remaulade sauce.
So, shrimp and remaulade are our pinks for today’s
Today’s Lagniappe: Tasso Shimp Henican
This is another great shrimp recipe from Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. We use store bought pepper jelly that we heat briefly in the microwave to make it a thinner consistency. This recipe is from the fabulous cookbook Commander’s Kitchen.
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 ounces tasso (see Note), cut into twenty-four 1-inch strips
½ cup all-purpose flour
any Creole seasoning mix
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc
¾ cup Five-Pepper Jelly (recipe below) or a good-quality prepared pepper jelly
12 pieces pickled okra, cut in half top to bottom
Preparation:
CUT a quarter-inch-deep incision down the back of each shrimp where it has been de-veined, and place a tasso strip in each incision. Secure with a toothpick. Combine the flour with the Creole seasoning and lightly dredge each shrimp.
HEAT the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the shrimp in the hot oil for about 30 seconds on each side. Shrimp should be firm with a red brown color. Remove the shrimp and drain briefly on a paper towel. Toss the shrimp with the Crystal Hot Sauce beurre blanc in a bowl, coat thoroughly, and remove the toothpicks.
PLACE a portion of five-pepper jelly on each of 8 appetizer plates, and arrange 3 shrimp on each plate, alternating with 3 pieces of pickled okra.
NOTE: Tasso is a seasoning ham widely used in New Orleans but hard to find elsewhere. You could order it by mail, or you could substitute one ounce of ham cut in one-inch strips and tossed with one part cayenne and three parts paprika.
Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc
Makes ¾ cup
Ingredients
1/3 cup Crystal Hot Sauce (another hot sauce can be substituted)
2 tablespoons minced shallots
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt to taste
Preparation
PLACE the hot sauce, shallots, garlic and cream in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, simmer until reduced by half, stirring frequently. Slowly whip the softened butter, a bit at a time, into the pot, being careful not to let the sauce break. (The cream acts as a stabilizer.) Strain and keep the sauce warm. Add salt.
CHEF’S TIPS
Because of the high acidity of this sauce, you may need to take it off the heat as you add the butter to keep it from breaking, which would require you to start over. If it seems to get too thick, return it to the heat.
Five Pepper Jelly
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
1 ½ cups light corn syrup
1 ¼ cups white vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 each large red, yellow, and green bell pepper, seeded, membranes trimmed, and finely diced
4 jalapeño peppers, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced
Preparation:
PLACE the corn syrup, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a small saucepan. Simmer to reduce by two thirds, until mixture is thickened. It will get even thicker as it cools, but the peppers will thin it again when they are added.
BRIEFLY place the peppers in a hot dry skillet and sauté until tender and their color is brightened, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peppers from the pan and add them to the corn syrup mixture.
USE as directed in the previous recipe. Five-pepper jelly also goes well on toast and as a glaze for roast chicken.
NOTE: This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. A good store-bought version is also available, by mail if necessary
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