Chef Johns Shrimp Etouffee Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Stir water, onion, lemon, garlic, tarragon, seafood seasoning, peppercorns, and bay leaf together in a large pot; bring to a simmer and cook until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk ketchup, chili sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt together in a bowl; refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes.
• Bring poaching liquid to a rapid boil. Cook the shrimp in the boiling liquid until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl of ice water and immerse in ice water until cold; drain. Arrange cold shrimp on a platter and serve with chilled sauce.

CHEF JOHN'S GRILLED GARLIC AND HERB SHRIMP

Steps:

• Place salt, lemon zest, and 3 cloves garlic in bowl of a mortar and pestle. Pound with the pestle until mixture begins to form a paste, about 2 minutes. Add chopped basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme and pound with pestle until mixture begin to come together, about 5 minutes.
• Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into herb mixture. Grind together until mixture begins to form a sauce for marinating, about 1 minute. Pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir mixture with a spoon until mixture is thoroughly combined, adding additional olive oil as needed. Mixture should be fairly thick but pourable.
• Place shrimp in a large bowl and mix in about 2/3 of the sauce, reserving 1/3 for serving. Stir until shrimp are evenly coated with the sauce, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Thread shrimp onto skewers (pierce each twice, once through large part of shrimp, once through small part). Place skewers on hot grill. Cook on each side until shrimp are bright pink and opaque and exterior is beginning to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer skewers to serving platter.
• Pour remaining sauce into mixing bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Spoon sauce over shrimp. Serve with lemon wedges.

CHEF JOHN'S SHRIMP ETOUFFEE

Steps:

• Whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Drain shrimp in a colander for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels and dry shrimp for about 3 minutes. Remove paper towels from bowl and season shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend. Toss to coat shrimp with spice blend.
• Heat vegetable oil a large heavy skillet over high heat until oil is smoking hot. Cook shrimp in the hot oil without stirring for 1 minute; stir, and cook 1 minute more.
• Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until juice forms in bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups, adding more chicken stock if necessary.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Saute onion, celery, and green pepper in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in remaining spice blend.
• Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture and saute until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on bottom of pan, about 3 minutes. Whisk stock into vegetable mixture, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Season with salt to taste.
• Stir shrimp into etouffee sauce; let simmer until shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent, about 1 minute.
• Garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper. Pour over rice in large, shallow bowls.

CHEF JOHN'S SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until almost crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer bacon to a dish, leaving drippings in the skillet.
• Whisk 1/4 cup water, cream, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl.
• Stir 4 cups water, butter, and 1 teaspoon salt together in a pot; bring to a boil. Whisk grits into pot, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until grits are creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir white Cheddar cheese into grits.
• Place shrimp in a large bowl and season with Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Heat skillet with bacon drippings over high heat. Cook shrimp in hot bacon fat in a single layer for 1 minute. Turn shrimp and add jalapeno; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir cream mixture, bacon, green onion, and garlic to shrimp mixture; cook and stir, adding water as necessary to thin the sauce, until shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
• Ladle grits into a bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.

CHEF JOHN'S SHRIMP ETOUFFEE

Steps:

• Whisk paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Drain shrimp in a colander for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels and dry shrimp for about 3 minutes. Remove paper towels from bowl. Season shrimp with salt and 1 teaspoon spice blend; toss to coat.
• Heat oil a large heavy skillet over high heat until oil is smoking hot. Cook shrimp in the hot oil without stirring for 1 minute; stir, and cook 1 minute more.
• Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Let stand until juice collects in the bowl. Strain shrimp juices into chicken stock to total 2 cups, adding more chicken stock if necessary. Set aside.
• Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat until butter begins to turn tan at the edges. Saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining spice blend.
• Sprinkle flour into vegetable mixture and saute until combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook until tomato juices begin to brown on bottom of pan, about 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock mixture, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to a gravy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire and hot sauce. Season with salt to taste.
• Stir shrimp into etouffee sauce; let simmer until shrimp are cooked all the way through and no longer translucent, about 1 minute.
• Garnish with green onions and a dusting of cayenne pepper. Pour over rice in large, shallow bowls.