This recipe is the creation of the late Commander’s chef Jamie Shannon. Jamie had a tough act to follow when he took over Commander’s kitchen after the departure of Emeril. This was one of his first creations and it is still on the menu. Give it a try when looking for a spicy shrimp appetizer.
Tasso Shrimp Henican
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 ounce boneless tasso, julienned in 1-inch strips (see recipe note)
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Commander’s Seafood Seasoning, to taste (recipe follows)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc (recipe follows)
12 ounces Five-Pepper Jelly (recipe follows)
12 pieces pickled okra, cut in half top to bottom
Ingredients for Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc: (makes 3/4 cup)
. 1/3 cup Crystal Hot Sauce (another hot sauce can be substituted)
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt, to taste
Ingredients for Five-Pepper Jelly: (makes 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 1/4 cups cane vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 each large red, yellow, and green bell pepper, seeded and membranes trimmed, finely diced
4 jalapeño peppers, finely diced
Ingredients for Creole Seafood Seasoning: (makes 2 cups)
1/3 cup salt
1/4 cup granulated garlic
1/4 cup freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/3 cup paprika
3 tablespoons granulated onion
Instructions:
Make a 1/4-inch deep incision down the back of each shrimp where it has been deveined, and place one tasso strip in each incision. Secure with a toothpick. Combine the all-purpose flour with Commander’s Seafood Seasoning, and lightly dust each piece of shrimp with the seasoned flour. Fry the shrimp in the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Shrimp should be firm with a nice red-brown color. Remove shrimp and place on a paper towel for a few seconds to drain. Place shrimp in a bowl with Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc, toss to coat thoroughly, and remove the toothpicks. Place a portion of Five-Pepper Jelly on each of 8 appetizer plates, and arrange 3 shrimp on the plate alternating with 3 pieces of pickled okra.
Note: Sometimes tasso will have a lot of bone resulting in a poor yield of meat.
Instructions for Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc:
Place the hot sauce, shallots, garlic and cream in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, simmer until reduced by half, stirring frequently. Slowly whip the softened butter, a bit at a time, into the pot, being careful not to let the sauce break. (The cream acts as a stabilizer.) Strain the sauce while warm. Add salt.
Instructions for Five-Pepper Jelly:
Put corn syrup, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepot, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce by 2/3, until mixture is thickened. It will get even thicker as it cools, but the peppers will thin it again when they are added. This is a gastrique. Briefly place the peppers in a hot skillet and sauté until tender and their color is brightened, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, add the peppers to the gastrique.
Instructions for Creole Seafood Seasoning:
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar. Keeps indefinitely.
Enjoy!!!
