Tag Archives: fresh herbs

Toast Tuesday: New Orleans style Barbeque Shrimp

28 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in just a thought, recipes, Toast Tuesday

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When I was a kid, my favorite foods were mac and cheese and shrimp scampi. The first time I was served scampi with the heads on, I didn’t eat shrimp for a year. I was a little horrified
Fast forward a few years and a trip to New Orleans. We went to Pascal Manale’s, home of Barbeque Shrimp. There is no grill involved in this BBQ, just lots of butter, garlic, and bread to dip. This was a hedonistic mess of goodness sautéed and served family style. This recipe was developed in 1953 and is one of the city’s most copied creations.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. There are dozens of variation and takes on this recipe. My favorite was one we had a few years later at Slice Pizzeria on Magazine St. It was the garlic and butter plus a huge amount of herbs that reminded me of a chimichurri sauce. The herbs really brightened up the heaviness of the butter and took this dish to a whole new level.

This Sunday we had a Mardi Gras dinner with a bunch of friends with everyone making their Nola favorites. I’m happy to report my barbeque shrimp were divine, and the dish was scraped, sopped, and mopped clean. I will definitely be making this again, and very soon!

Here’s what I did:

New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp Recipe

1 Sticks of Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme, chopped, plus more for finish
1-2 Tbsp Fresh Oregano, chopped, plus more for finish
1-2 Tbsp Flat leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for finish
Juice of 1 Lemon
about ¼ cup Louisiana Hot Sauce
about ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
generous dusting of white pepper (I’m allergic to black pepper)
generous dusting of Tony Chachere’s
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt)
2 lbs tails on shrimp
½ cup Abita Amber Beer (optional for deglazing. I didn’t have any)

Start with 2 tablespoons butter in a medium hot skillet. Add the garlic and sauté until slightly browned. Add the fresh herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the beer if you have it, otherwise add lemon juice and reduce by half.

Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pepper, salt, Tony’s and shrimp. Toss to coat. Put lid on skillet and sauté shrimp for about 5 minutes or until done. Do not over-cook!

Chop up thyme, oregano, and parsley so you have about a cup of herbs combined. When Shrimp are done, add remaining stick of butter and stir in, followed by cup of fresh herbs. Serve with good crusty French bread or dinner rolls for sopping.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Toast Tuesday: the infusion continues

08 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Toast Tuesday

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This is week… I’ve lost count… in my Year of Drinking Dangerously, as one friend calls it.  I do know this week was supposed to be a beer I was looking forward to, but life got the better of me.

I’ve been the mad scientist lately with brewing kombucha, growing a vinegar mother, working on some infusions, and having fun at work.

I have been having fun at work the last couple of weeks.  Tis the season for the snack cart and flower pencils again.  My sneaky happiness campaign also includes 901Rocks! this year.

Coworker and I spent 3 hours painting happy rocks and selling them for $1 each.  I’m certain most of these ended up on the purchaser’s desk and not hidden around the building as we had hoped.  No matter.  The goal is to make someone smile and I am calling this a win.

I had brunch with some lady friends on Saturday and took a bottle of mango kombucha I had made.  I was certain this was going to get me one more eyeroll, but in fact, it got high praise.  Our hostess was convinced I was trying to kill her the week before when I had her taste some kombucha from the mother batch.  She liked the finished product so much, she kept the leftovers.  Huge win!

With it finally cooling off here, I’ve been making quite a few infusions to save my herbs before the frost.  I’ve made a lemon gin, lime tequila, lemongrass, lemon verbena, basil, sweet tea vodka, habanero honey whiskey, and have been playing with a chamomile fall flavored infusion.

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I’ve been encouraging a vinegar mother for quite some time.  Never before have I exercised so much patience on a project.  It’s only because it is on top of the fridge and out of my direct line of sight that this is possible.  Just the other day, I looked up and saw I was finally getting a lovely mother growing.  It looks like lace.

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Alright, enough about all my craziness.  Let’s see how Meg did on her homework.

Also, if anyone wants a kombucha scoby, I have plenty to share.  I’ve gone a little insane starting batches.

 

ladies who lunch

05 Wednesday Feb 2014

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While I was off work for summer vacation, I hosted the work ladies for lunch.  I spent weeks sifting through recipes trying to find just the right ones.  I knew what I wanted, but the menu had not fully solidified in my mind.

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I wanted something like my mother’s antipasto, but wanted it in the form of a salad.  Needed something hearty, but light enough for lunch.  I finally found what I was looking for in the Leon Salad.  I found this on the Saveur website.  I’ve posted their recipe with my changes in parens.

8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (reduce!)
4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (I used fresh and probably tripled)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano (I used fresh and probably tripled)
1/4 tsp. dried mustard
1/4 tsp. crushed red chile flakes (added 1t, more would be even better)
1 clove garlic, smashed and minced into a paste (could use way more)
1 12-oz. can chickpeas, drained
6 oz.(-ish) sliced provolone, cut into 1/4″ strips
6 oz. (-ish) baby mozzarella balls, drained and quartered
6 oz. salami, thinly sliced, then cut into strips
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley (oops-forgot, would have used more)
1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves (omitted)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (omitted black pepper)
I added juice of 1/2 lemon to cut some of the oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, oregano, mustard, chile flakes, and half the basil, and garlic. Stir in chickpeas, provolone, mozzarella, salami, and onions; cover. Let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Just before serving, I added the other half of fresh basil and would have added the parley if I had remembered it was in the fridge.  I served over arugula that had been tossed with a little fresh lemon juice.

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This got raves reviews.  I’ll agree, it was pretty tasty.  Enjoy