This fabulous shrimp dish most likely originated at Pascale’s Manale restaurant, a funky neighborhood Creole Italian joint located on Napoleon Ave. in uptown, and, has been a local favorite for as long as anyone can remember.

The name is a bit misleading because the shrimp are not grilled or barbequed but actually baked in a spicy butter and olive oil sauce in the shell. There are a number of variations including one by Emeril in which he removes the shells before cooking and used them in a stock as part of his sauce, but I find that his version, while good, requires way too much in the way of time and preparation. At the Mint, much to the dismay of some of our diners, we cook ours like Manale’s Restaurant, in the shell. The shrimp are baked in the shell for a reason. The shells contain the essence of the shrimp taste and they flavor the sauce during the baking process. Without the shells the sauce would be tasteless. We normally split the shells down the back using scissors to make the shrimp easier to peel after cooking.

The process of eating BBQ shrimp is every bit as important as the way they are cooked. Here is how they do it New Orleans style. First of all, USE YOUR HANDS! Forget a knife and fork; this is a messy process, that’s why we give you extra napkins and handi-wipes. That being said, here is how it’s done.

For Four - generous portions

2 lb 20-25 count shrimp shell on
1 lb butter
1/2C olive oil
2 T chopped fresh garlic
2 bay leaves
2T rosemary crumbled
1T basil
1t oregano
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T lemon juice
2 T paprika
1T coarse ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add all of the other ingredients. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat and allow the sauce mixture allow to cool to warm. Add the shrimp to the warm (but not hot) sauce and place in a large baking dish. Allow the shrimp to steep in the sauce for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 400. Bake the shrimp for approximately 20 minutes stirring occasionally to cook all of the shrimp evenly. The dish is ready when all of the shrimp have turned pink. Serve with lots of bread and plenty of paper towels. This is a messy, but fantastic experience. Be sure to dip the shrimp and bread in the sauce frequently stirring the spices off the bottom of the dish. Serve with a dry Pinot Gris, or Riesling, or even very cold beer.

Properly cooked, the shrimp will arrive at your table, bubbling hot in a baking ramekin. DO NOT TRY TO EAT THEM UNTIL THEY HAVE COOLED. When you feel that you can eat them without burning your lips, take one of them by the tail, dredge it through the sauce, and suck the sauce that clings to the shell. Then, peel the shrimp, and repeat the same process, dredging the peeled shrimp through the herbs and spices that have collected on the bottom of the dish. Then you eat the shrimp, and savor the wonderful essence of the flavor. A very important part of this process consists of dipping pieces of French bread periodically to soak up the sauce. Remember SPE, suck, peel, and eat. Enjoy!

Please send your comments and questions to Jay at:

mintbarcafe1@qwestoffice.net

Labels: Recipes