I have no idea why this is called "barbecued" shrimp? You won’t go near the barbecue when you make it but it is absolutely delicious. I’ve been told it was created at Pascal's Manale Restaurant on Napoleon Avenue in New Orleans. If you don’t know your way around New Orleans you’ll never find Napoleon Ave much less Pascal's Manale.
There are a couple of things you will need to know when making this dish. Traditionally, the shrimp are not de-headed. If you can't stand their beady little eyes staring at you, pull the heads off before you cook em. We like to devein the shrimp but leave the shell on. The shells help hold some of the butter sauce and spices in. One of the key ingredients is the rosemary. If you can’t get fresh rosemary, DON'T MAKE THIS DISH! It’s that important. Lastly, if you’re a heart surgeon, or a health nut, you will toss this recipe in the trash and cook something else after reading the first ingredient. (This feeds 3 - 4 people,... double it if you need to.)
| 1 lb | butter (That’s right! A whole frigging pound! Four sticks. Quit whining. Real salted butter only!) |
| 2 tbl | Creole
seasoning (We use The Stuff) |
| 3 tbl | chopped rosemary leaves (fresh, not dried) |
| 1 tbl | fresh ground pepper |
| ¼ cup | Worcestershire sauce |
| ¼ cup | good beer (good dark beer, not that mainstream swill) |
| 2 tbl | minced garlic, finely minced (or as much as you like) |
| ½ | medium onion, finely chopped |
| 2 ribs | celery, finely chopped |
| ½ cup | finely chopped parsley |
| 2 ½ lb | shrimp |
Melt 2 sticks of the butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic, onions, celery, rosemary and seasonings for about 2 - 3 minutes.
Add the rest of the butter. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beer (drink the rest of the bottle). Stir until the butter melts.
Place the shrimp in a large baking dish. Pour the seasoned butter over the shrimp. Make sure the shrimp are covered. If they're not ... melt more butter and add to the sauce. (That’s right, more frigging butter). Bake in a 350° oven about 15 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. No More! The shrimp will be hard to peel if you overcook them.
Serve the shrimp in bowls with lots of the spicy butter sauce over it. Sprinkle the parsley over the top to pretty it up, roll up your sleeves, and dig in. Serve with plenty of French bread to sop up da sauce!
This dish has
enough cholesterol to kill a horse, but what a way to go