Time to showcase two shrimp recipes

Galatoire’s is my favorite French Quarter restaurant. The food is traditional and classic. I have never had a bad meal there. But what they do on two special days of the year, makes you realize that Galatoire’s is more than just great food.

Friday lunch are always very busy. For two special Fridays, the one before Christmas and Mardi Gras, they auction off the tables. This money is distributed to various local charities. There are many ways that the food industry gives back. This is a very special one.

With that being said, I want to showcase two popular shrimp recipes from the restaurant. The first is an appetizer that can pass as a salad, Shrimp Remoulade. The second is a classic, Shrimp Creole. Gather your ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen!

Shrimp Remoulade

Every restaurant has their own Shrimp Remoulade recipe.What makes this one different is the combination of ingredients. It contains both ketchup and tomato puree for the base. For the spice, they use both Creole mustard and horseradish. This combination gives them a unique take on a classic.

2 ribs celery, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup tomato purée

1/2 cup Creole mustard

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish or more to taste

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup salad oil

48 jumbo shrimp, peeled, boiled, and chilled

1 small head iceberg lettuce, cut into thin ribbons, washed, drained and dried

Mince celery, green onion, parsley, and onion in a food processor. Add ketchup, tomato purée, Creole mustard, horseradish, red wine vinegar, paprika, and Worcestershire. Begin pulsing again; add the oil in a slow drizzle to emulsify. Chill for six to eight hours or overnight. Correct seasoning with additional horseradish if desired after ingredients had the opportunity to marry.

In a large mixing bowl, add sauce to shrimp and toss gently to coat.

Divide lettuce among 6 chilled salad plates. Divide shrimp evenly atop lettuce.

Galatoire’s Shrimp Creole

Last week, I shared a Shrimp Creole recipe made for a slow cooker. This is a more traditional method. The fact that they use whole tomatoes makes it unique.

4 large tomatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1 rib celery, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 large onion chopped

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1 teaspoon paprika

3 cups shrimp stock (or seafood or chicken stock)

6 dozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Hot cooked rice

Chopped parsley for garnish

Bring one quart of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Blanch the tomatoes in water about one minute, just until the skin breaks. Remove tomatoes from water; pull off skin. Seed and dice the tomato. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large pot over high heat. Add celery, bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes nearly dissolved and the vegetables begin to caramelize, about seven to ten minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Allow mixture to simmer until vegetables are a rich caramel color, about three to four minutes. Add stock, reduce mixture at a low rolling boil over medium heat for 25 minutes. Add shrimp, simmer until shrimp are pink and cooked through, eight to ten minutes.

To serve, place one-half cup of rice in the center of each of six large rimmed soup plates. Surround rice with shrimp; spoon all additional sauce over shrimp. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve at once.

Following the tragic New Year’s day attack, Galatoire’s was one of the restaurants to donate 100% of their profits from the sales of their Shrimp Remoulade for a week. These funds were donated to the New Orleans New Year”s Day Tragedy Fund. Galatoire’s always gives back to the city.