New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

The fun part of this dish is having everyone sitting around the table dipping French bread in the wonderful sauce. You may use this as a meal or an appetizer. This recipe serves three to six as an appetizer or you may double the ingredients and use as a main dish.

If you have a large iron skillet, use it. Place a trivet or hot pad in the center of table and have guest's spoon shrimp onto their plates. Guests peel and eat shrimp while dipping the French bread in the sauce. Serve with chilled white wine like Pinot Grigio, cold beer, lemonade or iced tea and plenty of paper napkins.

Ingredients:

• 1-pound large uncooked shrimp [See note below].
• 1-teaspoon ground cayenne pepper [See note below].
• ½-teaspoon crushed red pepper.
• 1-teaspoon black pepper [course ground if you have it].
• ½-teaspoon salt.
• ½-teaspoon dried thyme leaves.
• ½-teaspoon dried crushed rosemary leaves.
• 1/8-teaspoon dried oregano leaves.
• 1 ½-sticks of unsalted REAL butter. DO NOT USE MARGARINE.
• 1 ½-tablespoons minced fresh garlic [about four cloves].
• 1-tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
• ¼-cup chicken or fish broth.
• ¼-cup beer, room temperature.
• ½-medium yellow onion [preferably Vidalia] finely chopped.
• 1-stalk celery finely chopped.
• ¼-cup chopped scallions.
• 1 to 2 loaves of warn fresh French bread for dipping.

Preparation:

1. Rinse shrimp in cold water and drain well.
2. In a large skillet, preferably iron; over medium heat sauté the yellow onion, celery and garlic in 1 stick melted butter [about 2 minutes].
3. Add all seasonings to the sautéed mix, except the chicken broth, beer and scallions. Shake pan to mix ingredients.
4. Add shrimp and cook over medium too medium high heat until shrimp are a rich pink color [about 2 minutes].
5. Add beer and chicken broth to the mix and cook for 2 additional minutes.

Serving:

Garnish shrimp with scallions. Place iron skillet on a hot pad in center of table and have guests spoon shrimp onto their plates. Guests peel and eat shrimp while dipping the French bread in the sauce [watch out it's spicy].

Notes:

If you can find shrimp with the head and shell on USE it. Shrimp with the head / shell on impart a special flavor to the dish while cooking. Headless or shelled shrimp will work so if you do not find headed shrimp use the headless.

Too reduce the spicy BANG use only half of the peppers: cayenne, crushed red and black.