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Bonne Bouche: Bonne Crevette —A Celebration of Louisiana Shrimp

by Sandra S. Juneau
photography by Thomas B. Growden

 

Here in Louisiana, where there’s always reason for celebration, we commemorate each year’s bountiful shrimp harvest in a myriad of ways. If you go to one of the many shrimp festivals, you’ll usually hear the familiar lyrics, “Shrimp boats are a comin’, there’s dancin’ tonight.” At the annual Blessing of the Fleet, you will witness the age-old custom of prayerful blessings for a “safe, happy and healthy harvest.” Last year, Governor Blanco proclaimed “Bonne Crevette,” which dedicates our state to “Preserving Louisiana’s heritage by promoting Louisiana shrimp and the way it impacts our world-renowned cuisine, our culture and our way of life.”

Fresh shrimp abound for most of the year and can be enjoyed either barbecued, boiled, broiled, fried, sautéed, stewed or stuffed. You’ll find these delicious crevettes in traditional favorites such as bisque, boudin, étoufée, gumbo and jambalaya. For a variety of tastes, our northshore ethnic restaurants offer such diversified specialties as Asian Shrimp Fried Rice, Italian Shrimp Scampi, Mexican Shrimp Ceviche or Shrimp Pad Thai.

The season of brown shrimp harvesting begins in May and continues through July, followed in August through December by the white shrimp season. With limited seasonal limitation on enjoying our native shrimp, we can savor these versatile delicacies in endless variations almost year round.

Camellia Café

Since owner Scott Esteve opened his first restaurant at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, his vision of “specializing in traditional New Orleans cuisine” has come to fruition. At two Camellia Café locations, the original in Slidell and the newer restaurant in Abita Springs, Scott partners with his brother, Jason Esteve and his father-in-law, Roy Violo. Together, they have created a total atmosphere of New Orleans charm that includes original art works and a traditional menu packed with regional favorites.

According to Scott, “Thanks to the help of our family, employees and friends we were able to make a casual and unique family eatery.” With a selected collection of familiar New Orleans comfort foods, both locations of Camellia Café have already grown to become local favorites and Scott envisions future expansion into surrounding northshore locations.

Shrimp, Corn and Crab Bisque

4 ounces margarine
2 cups fresh green onions, chopped
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 5-oz. cans of cream-style corn
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/2 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, shells removed, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chicken base paste
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and sauté green onions until soft. Add the peeled shrimp and cook until shrimp become a light pink color. Add chicken base and allow mixture to simmer until the chicken base is completely dissolved. Add the two cans of corn and mix well, then slowly stir in the whipping cream. Cook on medium heat to completely warm through. Add the lump crabmeat and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
Yield, 4 - 6 servings.
 
Longbranch

Entering onto the porch at Longbranch in Abita Springs, you step back into an 1880s era of gracious hospitality that celebrates legendary Southern cuisine. Chefs and co-owners Alison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing have infused their passion for excellence into each facet of the restaurant, arousing local appreciation, as well as gaining national acclaim.

Slade, a native of Tylertown, Miss. graduated from the Johnson and Whales University in Rhode Island, while Allison began her culinary career after graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. They met while working in Louisiana, moved to New York to continue their careers and then fulfilled their lifelong passion as co-owners of Longbranch. Combining the traditions of their classic culinary training, both talented chefs have gifted Longbranch with an ambience of elegance, while creating seasonal menus that perfect local fare to unparalleled sophistication.

Shrimp Creole Risotto

1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock, warmed in a saucepot
9 tablespoons olive oil
2 small white onions, peeled and minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 red pepper, de-seeded and minced
2 carrots, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1 12-oz can Italian imported whole tomatoes
1 strip of orange peel, white pith removed
1 jalapeno, minced
1 sprig parsley
1 lemon, zested and juiced
24 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined, reserving shells for stock
2 scallions, sliced thinly into rings
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Shrimp Creole Sauce

Place shrimp shells in a medium saucepot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. When liquid begins to boil, reduce to a simmer. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Cook the stock for 25 minutes, then strain and reserve.
In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil until smoking. Reduce the heat to medium and add minced red pepper, half of the minced carrot and celery, half of the minced onion, orange peel, minced jalapeno, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves garlic, 1 sprig of parsley and 1 sprig of thyme. Sauté the vegetables until tender, and then add 1 can of tomatoes and 1/2 cup of white wine. Cook for three minutes, and then add just enough shrimp stock to cover vegetables. Cook the sauce for 20 minutes. Remove all herbs and purée in a blender until smooth. Reserve sauce in a pot on the warm stove until needed.

Risotto

Place a medium saucepot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add remaining minced onions, carrots and celery, 2 garlic cloves, 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and saute the vegetables until soft, about three minutes. Add the rice to the pan and stir, cooking on medium heat for one minute more. Add 1/2 cup white wine and reduce the heat to simmer, cooking until most of the wine is absorbed in the rice. Add warm chicken stock in 2-ounce increments, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding chicken stock and stirring until rice is al-dente. Finish the risotto with the butter, lemon zest and juice, remove the herbs and adjust the seasoning.

Shrimp

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan until smoking. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, turning to season on both sides. Reduce heat to medium high and add the shrimp to the pan. Cook shrimp for one minute on each side, then remove shrimp from pan.

Assembly

Divide risotto evenly in 4 bowls and top with 6 shrimp each. Spoon sauce around the risotto and garnish with fresh scallion and thyme leaves. Serves 4.