If Shrimp Creole and Voodoo Shrimp had a spicy little Louisiana love youngster, this could be it. This Voodoo Shrimp Creole recipe is loaded with tender shrimp, the holy trinity, tomato, beer, Cajun seasoning, and simply sufficient brown sugar to steadiness the warmth.
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Serve it over fluffy rice or creamy grits for a daring, saucy dinner that tastes like Mardi Gras.
Why This Voodoo Shrimp Creole Works
It combines two Southern classics. You get the tomato-rich spine of Shrimp Creole with the spicy, barely candy, boozy taste profile of Voodoo Shrimp.
The sauce has steadiness. Beer, tomato, Cajun seasoning, scorching sauce, and brown sugar create warmth, depth, acidity, and sweetness as an alternative of one-note spice. As a Le Cordon Bleu-trained recipe developer, I examined this recipe with completely different darkish beers to seek out the appropriate steadiness of bitterness, sweetness, and warmth.
Shrimp prepare dinner quick. Poaching the shrimp in sauce offers them taste, however leaves them plump and engaging.
It’s versatile. Serve it over rice, grits, and even with crusty bread to absorb each final drop of sauce.
Homemade seasoning offers you management. You can maintain the salt in test and dial the warmth up or down with out counting on store-bought blends. Toasting the spices carry our most taste and infuses them within the butter ensures these flavors can be even by the entire sauce.
What is Voodoo Shrimp?
The household visited Cape May final summer time and oddly sufficient, we had among the greatest French Creole meals we’d ever had on the New Jersey seaside. I can’t even bear in mind what I had, though I bear in mind it being good, however hubby, he had Voodoo Shrimp.
Shrimp Creole is a shrimp dish primarily based in a beer laced tomato sauce utilizing the trinity of creole and completed with a bit of cream. It is spiced with cayenne pepper or different scorching peppers and customarily served over white rice or grits.
Since making this dish, I’ve been informed again and again that the House of Blues serves a Voodoo Shrimp, however I’ve by no means had it and I’ve no clue how this one compares. So do me a favor, you probably have had it and also you make my model, go away a remark to let others know the way it charges since I can’t touch upon that side.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient listing seems to be prolonged, however most of the objects are pantry staples you possible have already got available.
- Creole Spice Blend– This mix is forgiving and will be adjusted for style. It consists of paprika, coarse Kosher salt, white pepper, onion energy, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, basil and crushed purple pepper.
- Butter– Unsalted and is the fats that may absorb the entire aromatics from the spice mix and infuse into the sauce.
- Holy trinity– Onions, bell pepper, celery and really generally garlic (I do know, that’s 4, not three). These substances are sautéed collectively till it almost varieties a flavor-packed paste that’s the base of many creole and cajun dishes.
- Dark Beer– I counsel utilizing a beer or stout, however some recipes use Southern Comfort, a fruity whiskey. This will be omitted and swapped with further broth or tomato juice from the canned tomatoes. The alcohol will burn off leaving solely taste.
- Broth– I typically use vegetable or seafood broth and intention for a low-sodium model.
- Hot sauce, worcestershire sauce & lemon juice– These sauces pack a great deal of taste.
- Brown Sugar– This helps to steadiness the warmth and the acidity whereas including a contact of molasses. If the beer used is bitter, add extra sugar, if not, add much less. Start with 1 tablespoon and style check.
- Bay leaves– Also non-obligatory, bay leaves have earthy taste.
- Petite diced tomatoes– Delicious contemporary nuggets within the sauce. I do drain them to keep away from having an excessive amount of sauce, however in case you plan to not use alcohol, free free to make use of the tomato juice as a part of the swapped in broth.
- Shrimp– Large or additional giant shrimp work the perfect, however actually you possibly can swap in any most well-liked seafood so long as it equals a full pound.
- Cream and/or Cornstarch– When I first began to make this sauce I preferred it a thinner, however now I would like it to coat the again of a spoon and cream alone gained’t do the trick so I add a small quantity of cornstarch to thicken. This is non-obligatory.
- Rice or grits– I’d say probably the most genuine strategy to serve this creole shrimp is over white rice, however I additionally prefer it on grits.
Easy Variations
- Make it with hen: Swap the shrimp for bite-sized hen thighs or breasts, browning them first earlier than simmering within the sauce till cooked by.
- Use crawfish or langostino: Stir in crawfish tails or langostino on the finish simply lengthy sufficient to warmth by.
- Tone down the spice: Reduce the cayenne, Cajun seasoning, or scorching sauce for a milder model.
- Skip the alcohol: Replace the beer with seafood or hen inventory plus a splash of Worcestershire sauce or the juice from the canned tomatoes.
- Change the bottom: Serve it over rice, grits, polenta, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.
- Add additional greens: Bulk it up with okra, additional bell peppers, extra diced tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Swap the sweetener: Use a bit of honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar if wanted.
How to Make Voodoo Shrimp (Step-by-Step)
- Spices. Combine the mix. It will be thrown in complete or in case you want a finer mix, give it a whirl in a spice grinder.
- Sautè. Heat a big skillet over medium warmth and soften the butter (fats) after which the holy trinity. This cooks down into almost a paste. Stir within the spice combine to toast and bloom within the fat.
- Deglaze. Stir within the beer, scraping the browned bits from the underside of the pan. Bring the combination to low simmer.
- Create Sauce. Add the broth and different flavor-forward substances to make the sauce. Simmer on medium-low warmth for 10 minutes, or till sauce has lowered by half. Stir within the cream.
- Cook Shrimp. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp, cooking till they barely curl and switch pink, roughly 4 minutes.
- Thicken (Optional). If you desire a thicker sauce, whisk in a cornstarch slurry.
- Serve. Spoon the shrimp and sauce over white rice or grits.
Chef Tips
Don’t overcook the shrimp. Pull them as quickly as they flip pink and opaque. Shrimp go from tender to rubber eraser with stunning pace.
Use a beer you’d truly drink. Dark beer provides depth, however some stouts can skew bitter. Start with much less brown sugar, then style and regulate.
Let the sauce simmer earlier than including shrimp. The greens soften, the tomato cooks down, and the flavors cease appearing like strangers at a faculty fundraiser.
Bloom the spices in fats. A fast toast within the pan wakes up the Cajun seasoning and deepens the entire dish.
Taste for steadiness, not simply warmth. This recipe ought to be spicy, savory, a bit of tangy, and simply barely candy.
Serve it with one thing that catches sauce. Rice, grits, or crusty bread all earn their maintain right here.
Make This a Meal
Voodoo Shrimp Creole is a lot flavorful by itself, nevertheless it actually shines once you give that saucy goodness one thing to cling to. Serve it over white rice, soiled rice, cheese grits, or creamy grits for a hearty, satisfying dinner that soaks up each spicy, tomatoey drop.
Want to spherical issues out? Add a aspect of cornbread or crusty bread for sopping, as a result of leaving sauce within the bowl ought to be unlawful. A easy inexperienced salad or fast sautéed greens additionally assist steadiness the richness and warmth, turning this daring shrimp dish right into a full Louisiana-inspired meal.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers- Let the dish cool utterly, then switch it to an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 3 days. If doable, retailer the rice or grits individually so that they don’t absorb all that wonderful sauce.
Reheating– To reheat, heat it gently in a skillet over medium-low warmth or within the microwave in brief intervals, stirring in between till heated by. If the sauce has thickened an excessive amount of within the fridge, add a splash of broth, water, or a bit of cream to loosen it again up. Just watch out to not overcook the shrimp throughout reheating, or they will go from tender and juicy to rubbery quick.
Voodoo Shrimp FAQS
Not precisely. Shrimp Creole is normally a tomato-based shrimp dish made with the holy trinity and served over rice. Voodoo Shrimp typically leans richer and spicier, generally with beer, cream, or a candy aspect. This recipe borrows from each for a daring hybrid dish.
A darkish lager, amber ale, or milder stout works nicely. Very bitter stouts can overpower the sauce, so style as you go and regulate the brown sugar if wanted.
Absolutely. Reduce the cayenne and scorching sauce, and use a milder Cajun seasoning mix.
More Creole Inspired Dishes for Mardi Gras
A spicy Voodoo Shrimp Creole recipe made with tender shrimp, the holy trinity, tomato, beer, Cajun seasoning, and scorching sauce. Serve over rice or grits for a straightforward Louisiana-inspired dinner.
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Servings:
Creole Shrimp:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white onion , grated or finely minced (about 1/4 onion)
- 1/2 cup celery , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , grated or finely minced
- 12 ounces darkish beer , lager or stout
- 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable or seafood broth
- 2 teaspoons scorching sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons contemporary lemon juice
- 1-4 tablespoons brown sugar , see notice
- 2 bay leaves
- 15.5 ounce petite diced tomatoes , drained
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 cups rice or grits , cooked
- celery leaves , non-obligatory for garnish
- parsley , chopped for garnish
In a small bowl, stir collectively the 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons floor white pepper, 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed purple pepper flakes. Set apart.
Heat a big skillet over medium warmth, including the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. when melted, stir within the chopped 1/2 cup white onion, 1/2 cup celery and minced 2 cloves garlic, coating within the butter. Allow to sweat for 3-4 minutes.
Stir within the reserved dry spice combination, mixing collectively till aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with 12 ounces darkish beer, scraping the browned bits from the underside of the pan. Bring the combination to low simmer.
Stir within the 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable or seafood broth, 2 teaspoons scorching sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons contemporary lemon juice,, 2 bay leaves and drained 15.5 ounce petite diced tomatoes. Add 1 of the tablespoons of brown sugar after which style check to see in case you ought to add extra. Bitter beers would require the complete 4 tablespoons whereas milder model will solely want the 1 tablespoon. Simmer on medium-low warmth for 10 minutes, or till sauce has lowered by half.
Stir within the 1/2 cup heavy cream over low warmth till absolutely integrated.
Add the peeled and deveined 1 pound shrimp, cooking till they curl and switch pink, roughly 4 minutes.
Optional- if you need a thicker sauce, whisk collectively 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir into the sauce.
Divide into 4 servings, every with 1 cup cooked rice or grits. Garnish with celery leaves, if desired.
If you’ve got tried this recipe, come again and let is know the way it was within the feedback or star rankings.
*The quantity of brown sugar added will rely on the bitterness of your beer. I used a reasonably bitter, hoppy beer and subsequently wanted all 4 tablespoons. Start with one and add extra on the finish, if wanted.Â
Calories: 1032 kcal, Carbohydrates: 170 g, Protein: 40 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 334 mg, Sodium: 1990 mg, Potassium: 775 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 10 g, Vitamin A: 1585 IU, Vitamin C: 22.3 mg, Calcium: 309 mg, Iron: 6.6 mg
