Shrimp Ponchartrain Recipes

POMPANO PONTCHARTRAIN

Steps:

• Season the fish with salt and white pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add fish, skin side up, and cook for about 3 minutes or until browned. (You may have to cook fish in 2 batches, add more oil as necessary.) Flip fish and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until cooked through. Keep warm.
• While the fish is cooking, heat the crabmeat and melted butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook just until crabmeat is hot.
• To serve, place a pompano fillet in the center of each plate, and top with 3 ounces of crabmeat. Garnish with chopped parsley, parsley sprigs, and a lemon half.

SHRIMP PONCHARTRAIN

Steps:

• Peel and devein shrimp. (For ease of handling, leave tails intact.) Steam shrimp just until cooked through. Let cool. Cut a "pocket" in the back of each shrimp, 3/4 through, from head to top of tail section.
• Combine cheese, blue cheese, cream, Worcestershire and Tabasco; mix thoroughly. Spoon filling into pocket of each shrimp, pressing to fill cavity. Place stuffed shrimp on a tray; refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Combine milk and eggs in measuring cup or narrow bowl, whisking until well blended. Place flour and crumbs in two separate shallow dishes. Dip each stuffed shrimp in egg mixture, roll in flour, dip back into egg mixture, then roll in crumbs.
• Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet; place in freezer for at least 1 hour or until ready to cook.
• Add oil to a deep skillet to a depth of 1 inch; heat to 325 degrees. Fry shrimp until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not overcook,or filling will melt away). Drain on paper towels; serve hot.
• Yield: 36 stuffed shrimp (9 appetizer or 6 main course servings).
• Testers' note: A table knife works well for stuffing the shrimp.

ALMOST-FAMOUS POPCORN SHRIMP

Steps:

• Mix 3 cups ice water, the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and set aside 15 minutes, then drain well and pat dry. Dry the bowl; return the shrimp to the bowl and toss with 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
• Whisk the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and the beer in a large bowl to make a smooth batter. Add the shrimp, pepperoncini and roasted peppers and stir until evenly coated.
• Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Working in batches, remove the shrimp, pepperoncini and roasted peppers from the batter with a slotted spoon, transfer to the hot oil and fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels; season with salt. Serve with lemon wedges, cocktail sauce and/or tartar sauce.

PONTCHARTRAIN SAUCE (PAPPADEAUX'S)

Steps:

• To make shrimp stock, combine reserved shrimp shells, chopped vegetables and water in a large stockpot; simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes until liquid is reduced to 3 cups; strain and set aside.
• Sauté shrimp in 1 tablespoons butter until turning pink and set aside.
• Make roux by melting 4 tablespoons butter in saucepan until about to turn brown; whisk in 4 tablespoons flour until mixture thickens to a paste; cook until it turns a light, golden brown. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoons butter and add garlic and remaining onion; sauté over medium heat 2 minutes.
• Add shrimp stock and crushed bouillon cube; stir and let simmer.
• While the stock is simmering, melt 1 ¼ stick of butter in a separate saucepan until it turns golden brown then set aside.
• Add roux to stock mixture and stir until fully incorporated; simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Whisk melted butter into stock until fully incorporated then whisk in ¼ cup Madeira wine until fully incorporated; mix in Cajun seasoning and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
• Add 6 oz. back fin crab meat and cooked shrimp into sauce; simmer for 3-5 minutes and then ready to serve.

CAJUN PONCHARTRAIN SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, saute mushrooms in 1 teaspoon butter until tender. Stir in shrimp, and cook until pink. Transfer to a bowl.
• In the same saucepan, melt the remaining 2 teaspoons butter. Slowly mix in cream. Stir in the shrimp and mushroom mixture, and season to taste with garlic powder and black pepper. Simmer over very low heat until thick. Just before serving, stir in wine.