Shrimp Remoulade
adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking, Dinner Parties, Spring 2008
Yield: 8 as appetizer
1 1/3 cups sauce
Remoulade Sauce
1 Tbs white-wine vinegar
1 Tbs prepared yellow mustard
2 Tbs Creole mustard (Country-style Dijon mustard may be substituted.)
2 tsp tomato paste
1 small clove garlic
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbs. chopped scallions (white and pale green parts from 2 scallions)
3 Tbs chopped celery
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt
For the shrimp
1/3 cup kosher salt (in two parts)
1 Tbs cayenne
2 Tbs whole black peppercorns
2 lemons, cut in quarters
1 large clove garlic
4 bay leaves
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 lb large (21-25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
Make the sauce: In a food processor, combine the vinegar, mustards, tomato paste, garlic, Tabasco, lemon juice, egg, and paprika. Pulse to mix. With the processor running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Add the scallions, celery, parsley, and salt to taste; pulse briefly to combine. Over processing may cause separation. Chill
Prepare the shrimp: In a 6 to 8 quart pan, combine 1 gallon water with 1/4 cup salt, the cayenne, peppercorns, lemon, garlic, bay leaves, and onion. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until they're pink and just barely opaque through the center, about 3 minutes. Pull the shrimp from the boil and put them in a large bowl. Cover with ice and then add 2 cups of the boil liquid to the iced shrimp. Soak for 5 minutes. Add the remaining salt. When the shrimp are well chilled, drain.
Arrange shrimp on a platter with the remoulade sauce.
To serve as a plated appetizer, dip each shrimp in the remoulade sauce to coat and arrange on a bed of leafy lettuce that has been cut into strips.