Barbecue Shrimp with Petite Rosemary Biscuits

These shrimp aren’t really barbecued on a grill. Instead, this is my take on a classic New Orleans dish, where whole shrimp are baked in butter, olive oil, and spices. When I opened Emeril’s we took the dish up another notch and created this amazingly rich sauce for sautéed shrimp. Once you make the barbecue base, it will keep for a month, tightly covered in the refrigerator. Try the same sauce with oysters by first making the sauce in a sauce pan and adding the oysters after the sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Ingredients

2 pounds medium (21-24 count)

raw shrimp in their shells

1 tablespoon Emeril’s Original

Essence or Creole Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce Base, recipe follows

12 Petite Rosemary Biscuits, recipe follows

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving only their tails attached. (Reserve the shells, if desired, to make the shrimp stock.) Season the shrimp with the Essence and black pepper, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate while making the sauce base and biscuits.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and barbecue sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a platter with tongs. Gradually whisk the butter into the sauce. Remove from the heat.

Place 2 or 3 biscuits on each plate. Divide the shrimp among the biscuits and top each serving with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the sauce. Serve immediately.

Barbecue Sauce Base

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 lemons, peeled, white pith removed, and quartered

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups Shrimp Stock, recipe follows

1 cup Worcestershire sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and bay leaves, and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, lemons, and white wine, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1/2-cup, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon. Set aside until needed. (The sauce base can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.)

Shrimp Stock

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp shells and/or heads

1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots

3 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a heavy knife

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander under cold running water.

Put all the ingredients in a heavy medium stockpot. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming from time to time to remove the foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate. (The stock can be refrigerated for up to three days. Or freeze in airtight containers for up to two months.)

Petite Rosemary Biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with your fingers or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1/2 cup of the buttermilk, a little at a time, using your hands, to work it in just until thoroughly incorporated and a smooth ball of dough forms. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup buttermilk if the mixture is too dry, being very careful not to overwork or over-handle the dough, or the biscuits will be tough.

On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a circle about 7-inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 biscuits.

Place the biscuits on a large baking sheet. Bake until golden on top and lightly brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve warm.