For all of the seafood lovers out there, here is a wonderful Creole dish. It is similar to one I had at the Commanders Palace in New Orleans years ago. This is a perfect dish for a special evening, and is remarkably easy to prepare. Once again, when working with seafood, the key is “mis en place” Everything needs to be in its place.
Find extra large shrimp and the fresher the better. This does not work well with smaller shrimp, as you lose the firm texture, which is an important part of this dish.
Ingredients
10 large shrimp peeled, deveined and slightly butterflied
¼ cup of Tasso ham, you may substitute Smithfield ham or Pancetta if need be
½ cup green onion, finely chopped
1 cup of heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper
In a sauté pan, render the Tasso ham down in the butter and then add the green onion. Once done, add the heavy cream, cayenne and salt and pepper. Reduce sauce by half and while reducing the sauce, you should grill or broil the shrimp.
Skewer the shrimp onto bamboo or metal skewers. If you have easy access to a grill, then preheat it and brush the shrimp with a little melted butter. If you cannot grill them, you can do them under the broiler, but don’t bother with the skewers.
When the shrimp curl and turn pink, they\’re done. Do not overcook. Remove from skewer and toss into the sauce pan for a quick sauté (you are just coating them), then arrange on plate and spoon sauce over and serve immediately. This is perfect served on a bed of Cheese Grits.
The Louisville Chef 