A Surprising Barbecue Recipe, New Orleans Style, from the Chef of Symphony Square Senior Living

Do you think of barbecue sauce as ALWAYS being something red, spicy and smoky? This chef from New Orleans says: try the "NOLA" version. It's lemon-fresh... without a tomato in sight!

With the arrival of summer --- and the peak grilling season --- the New Orleans way of preparing barbecued shrimp may be a revelation to northern folks. "It always surprises people when I explain that, where I grew up in Louisiana, we have a refreshing take on grilling shrimp --- without any smoky tomato sauce --- that is perfect for the hot humid summers in the Delaware Valley," said Vincent LaMonte, chef at Symphony Square Senior Living in Bala Cynwyd.

It's also "grilled" in a skillet, which means --- when it's hot and sticky outside --- you can make this indoors in an air conditioned kitchen!

La Monte, who trained and worked in New Orleans restaurants owned by the infamous Emeril Lagasse, enjoys sharing the tastes of his hometown. Here's how he prepares NEW ORLEANS BBQ SHRIMP 

"I really hope you try this out," said Chef LaMonte. "When I bring out my Louisiana cook books, our residents at Symphony Square feel like they've taken a quick trip from Bala Cynwyd to the Bayou!"

Yield: 4 servings

• 3 pounds of large Gulf shrimp, in their shells
• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, recipe follows
• cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 lemons, peeled and sectioned
• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  

Directions:
Peel the shrimp, leaving only their tails attached. Reserve the shells and set aside. Sprinkle the shrimp with 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning and fresh cracked black  pepper. Use your hands to coat the shrimp with the seasonings. Refrigerate the shrimp while you make the sauce base.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute' for 1 minute. Add the reserved shrimp shells, the remaining Creole seasoning, the bay leaves, lemons, water, Worcestershire, wine, salt and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Strain into a small saucepan. There should be about 1-1/2 cups. Place over high heat, bring to a boil and cook until thick, syrupy, and dark brown, for about 15 minutes. Makes about 4 to 5 tablespoons of barbecue sauce base.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned shrimp and saute them, occasionally shaking the skillet, for 2 minutes. Add the cream and all of the barbecue base.  Stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a warm platter with tongs and whisk the butter into the sauce. Remove from the heat.

Mound the shrimp in the center of a  platter. Spoon the sauce over the shrimp and around the plate. As an option, arrange biscuits around the shrimp. Chopped olives makes an ideal garnish.

Creole seasoning

• 2-1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Yield: 2/3 cup