Sautéed Creole Shrimp
MMMmmmmm! Can you smell it? The intoxicating aromas of frying up shrimp in butter and Creole Seasoning, with a dash of lime!
Creole seasoning is often confused for Cajun. But check out my Substitutes page for my Creole Spice Mix recipe.
Acording to the New Orleans page of About.com, “The word “Creole” comes from the Spanish criollo, which mean “a child born in the colony.” The term was applied to descendants of early French and Spanish settlers all over the “New World,” but eventually narrowed to indicate native-born Louisianans of French and/or Spanish descent.”
For a good review of the origin and history of Creole food and culture, I recommend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_cuisine
In this inspired recipe for my Mardi Gras cooking class, (check out future free cooking classes at: www.tasteofamerica.es), the kitchen filled with enthusiasm to start the tasting part of our class when all the scents “infected” our noses. 😀
This recipe is sautéed, but if you prefer, you can broil it in the oven by putting the shrimp (shells kept on), on a grill at the top level of the oven, and setting your oven to Broil. It only only take 3-5 mins each side and the result is a juicy shrimp.
Personally, I believe that cooking shrimp with the shells on leaves the flesh sweeter, juicier and more tasty, but, I’m a delayed gratification eater.
What does that mean?
It means I like to do all the work first so that I can enjoy my meal, work-free, later.
It also means that I need to add extra butter or oil to the recipe to compensate for the juiciness. I’ll accept the extra calories for the hassle-free meal…. but if you prefer to cut down on the fat, cut the butter quantity of this recipe by half, omit the vegetable oil, and cook the shrimp using the broiling method (remember to keep the shells on, or you will end up with a dry, chewy shrimp).
Sautéed shrimp with Creole seasoning and a dash of lime? You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven. Remember to hire a bouncer to work the kitchen door – everyone will be rushing in to find out what smells so good.
Ingredients
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60 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
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5 large cloves minced garlic
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2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
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1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
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60 grs melted butter
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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Juice of 1 lime
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3 tablespoons dehydrated parsley ( or 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped)
Directions
- Melt Butter
- In a bowl mix together butter, minced garlic, Creole seasoning mix, chopped red bell pepper, , lime juice, parsley.
- Toss in the shrimp and mix well until shrimp is properly covered in the mix. Let stand 10 mins.
- Heat skillet on high with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Toss in half the shrimp and sautée until shrimp curl and are bright pink.
- Place on serving dish, cover loosely with aluminum foil and sautée the remaining shrimp with the remaining vegetable oil.
Tips
- Serve with Fries, Pasta, Salad.
- Wine recommendation: Pinot Grigio , Verdejo (Rueda), Gewurtzraminer (Alsacian)
