Thursday, February 04, 2010
Food, Recipes
Who dat?
New Orleans-style barbecued shrimp at Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Photos/The Reynolds Group
In addition to serving our signature sizzling steaks, we pride ourselves on preserving our New Orleans heritage. Our barbecued shrimp appetizer is a classic New Orleans dish that embraces the flavors of the Crescent City and offers the perfect beginning to any celebratory repast.
Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, New Orleans is a seafood-lover’s paradise. At Ruth’s Chris, we use only premium shrimp for the best texture and flavor. You can peel and devein the shrimp yourself or purchase peeled, ready-to-eat shrimp. Whichever type you use, make sure the shrimp are large enough so that four to five are ample for each serving.
Staying true to New Orleans’ flair for spicy Creole and Cajun cuisine, I use a blend of Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper and paprika to add a kick to the shrimp without being too overpowering. The white wine and butter makes the sauce excellent for dipping. Serve the shrimp with hot, crusty French bread and be sure to soak up any remaining sauce. It’s too good to let it go to waste! SP
Charles Pridgen is the executive chef at Ruth’s Chris Steak House Centennial Park.
267 Marietta St. in the Embassy Suites. 404-223-6500. www.ruthschris.com.
Barbecued Shrimp
Serves 5
Ingredients:- 20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 ounce canola oil
- 1 tablespoon + 5 teaspoons green onions, chopped
- 2 ounces dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 8 ounces butter, salted
Instructions:
Wash shrimp under water and then peel the shells and discard. Devein the shrimp with a paring knife, and then wash under water. Repeat until all shrimp are done, place on a sheet tray, and place in the refrigerator. Place a large cast-iron skillet on a burner and heat over high heat. Add oil, and cook shrimp until they are just done. You may have to do these in batches if you do not have a large skillet. Remove shrimp and set aside. Add green onions and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and reduce the volume by half. (Any good, dry white wine will work.) When the wine is reduced by half, measure and add the chopped garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cayenne pepper and paprika. Shake the pan well. Cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low.
Cut butter into small chunks with the knife and slowly add into pan, shaking fast to melt the butter. Continue to add remaining butter and shake until butter is melted. Add shrimp back to pan and toss well to coat shrimp with butter and to heat the shrimp.
To plate: Place 5 shrimp on small serving plates with a deep edge and ladle barbecued butter over the shrimp. Repeat with the other shrimp, and sprinkle each plate with 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions. Serve immediately.
Tip: For chopped garlic, peel fresh garlic cloves and rough chop with a chef’s knife. For green onions, wash green onions under water, shake off and cut with a chef’s knife into 1/16-inch cuts, using the green part only.