The Hirshon Shrimp Remoulade

Shrimp Remoulade Image Used Under Creative Commons License From saucycuisine.com

Citizens, Louisiana remoulade sauce can vary from the elegant French-African Creole, the rustic Afro-Caribbean Creole, or the Classic Cajun version, and like the local variants of roux, each version is different from the French original.

Creole versions are usually very piquant thanks to the use of a sizable amount of Creole mustard – no other version will do!

Louisiana-style remoulades fall generally into one of two categories — those with a mayonnaise base and those (like TFD’s) with an oil base, but sometimes both mayonnaise and oil are used.

Each version may have finely chopped vegetables, usually green onions and celery, and parsley; most are made with either Creole (Yes!) or stone-ground mustard (if you’re a heathen). Salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper are also standard ingredients.

In the oil- and mayonnaise-based versions, the reddish hue often comes from the addition of a small amount of ketchup, though TFD uses paprika, as the sauce is often topped with paprika for aesthetics as well as the flavor.

Generally, acidity is added with the inclusion of lemon juice or vinegar. Other additions can include hardboiled egg or raw egg yolks, minced garlic, hot sauce, vinegar, horseradish, capers, cornichons, and Worcestershire sauce.

While the classic white remoulade is a condiment that can be offered in a variety of contexts (e.g. the classic celery root remoulade), Creole remoulade is used on shrimp, crabs, fried calamari, artichokes, and fried green tomatoes among other foods.

Today, shrimp remoulade is a very common cold appetizer in New Orleans Creole restaurants, although, historically, hard boiled eggs with remoulade was a less expensive option on some menus. Shrimp remoulade is most often served as a stand-alone appetizer (usually on lettuce). One might also see crawfish remoulade, but remoulade sauce is very seldom offered in restaurants as an accompaniment with fish; cocktail sauce and tartar sauce are generally the condiments of choice.

Citizens, my version of Remoulade is superlatively spicy and a worthy addition to your recipe arsenal!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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Remoulade sauce:

1 bunch scallions, cut up
2 small stalks celery with leaves, cut up
2 sprigs fresh parsley, cut up
1 sprig fresh tarragon, cut up
3 tbs. Maison Louisianne Creole Mustard – buy it here
5 tsp. paprika
1 ¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne
6 tbs. tarragon white wine vinegar
3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Atomic horseradish sauce – buy it at Amazon here
½ tsp. dried basil
¾ cup olive oil

Remaining ingredients:

1 scallion, chopped
1 tbs. chopped celery
2 tsp. finely minced fresh parsley
Fresh romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves
1 lb. large whole fresh shrimp
16 whole allspice
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
12 peppercorns, crushed
Salt to taste if desired

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Process the first 4 ingredients until almost a puree. Stir in remaining ingredients up to olive oil. Using a wire whisk slowly add olive oil til well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the minced green onion, celery and parsley. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.

Bring a large pot of water to a full boil with allspice, garlic and peppercorns, add shrimp, turn off heat and poach for several minutes until just cooked through, then peeled, deveined and throughly chilled

When ready to serve, take lettuce and put a large leaf on each of 4 chilled salad plates. Arrange shrimp on top.

Cover with remoulade sauce or serve on the side, as you prefer. Do not sauce shrimp more than a few minutes before serving or they will become soggy. Garnish with a slice of lemon and serve.