This dish offers an interesting flavor profile built on sweet shrimp meat, the heat of the jalapeño and a creamy sauce. Taking the lead from the red-pink shrimp, we’ve paired it with a red wine: Brennan Vineyards Buffalo Roam. It’s a lighter Rhône-style red blend with juicy fruit, floral and spicy aromas and, most importantly, soft tannins with a hint of dry Comanche County soil. Crispness and medium body help manage the creaminess of the sauce without overpowering the delicate shrimp taste. To satisfy a white wine craving though, the Eden Hill Vineyard Divine White blend provides an admirable match with its ever-loving lemon-citrus character gained from Albariño and Pinot Grigio from Bobby Smith’s Springtown Vineyard, and Orange Muscat from the Eden Hill Estate Vineyard in Celina.
For the shrimp:
¼ cup cayenne
⅓ cup kosher salt
3 large lemons, quartered
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 pounds large (16–20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Large bowl of ice water mixed with ½ cup kosher salt or fine sea salt
For the rémoulade:
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 large jalapeños, roughly chopped
2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 anchovy fillets, minced
2 tablespoons ketchup, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Baby romaine lettuce leaves
White corn tortilla chips
Fill a heavy-bottomed 8-quart soup pot two-thirds full with water. Add the cayenne pepper, salt, lemons and onion. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes to develop a bold, spicy court bouillon (flavorful poaching liquid). Be sure to turn on the vent hood over the stove as the mixture is quite spicy and tends to cause sneezing! Add the shrimp and stir to mix into the broth. Cook just until the shrimp turn a rich coral pink—about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain into a colander then immediately plunge the shrimp into the salted ice water to stop the cooking process. (The salted water also sweetens the taste of the shrimp.) When the shrimp are completely chilled, drain and pat dry using paper towels, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make the jalapeño rémoulade, mince the garlic cloves in the food processor, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Turn out into a large bowl and toss with the chilled shrimp. Cover tightly and refrigerate until chilled.
For service, insert a serving spoon into the bowl and place it on the table. Surround the bowl with large, stemmed margarita-style glasses filled with some of the baby romaine leaves and two tortilla chips each for self-serve.
TERRY THOMPSON-ANDERSON is a professional chef, cookbook author, culinary instructor and restaurant consultant. She has written five cookbooks and numerous articles for various publications. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, The Southern Foodways Alliance and Les Dames d’Escoffier, International.
