Recipes: Savory Shrimp and Lemon Bars

Spring is the season for crawfish, but it is also when locally caught shrimp becomes available. I usually head out to Cypremort Point or Delcambre for shrimp (and other local seafood) that’s brought in from Vermilion Bay.

It’s an ideal time for a seafood extravaganza. The weather is mild, the scenery is lush and my big, screened porch is ready for a party.

Which shrimp dish — a stew, boiled or fried stuffed eggplant with shrimp and béchamel? Let’s go for New Orleans-style barbecued shrimp and maybe an appetizer of shrimp sliders. A lemon dessert is always my choice to follow a seafood meal.

STARTER

Shrimp Sliders

1½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
½ cup minced onions
¼ cup minced bell pepper
½ cup minced celery
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup minced green onions
¼ cup minced parsley
All-purpose flour
1 cup solid vegetable oil for frying
1 cup tartar sauce
Slider buns or sliced toasted French bread

1. Mix the shrimp, onions, bell pepper and celery with the beaten egg in a mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, green onions, parsley and baking powder and mix well.

2. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Form the mixture into small patties. Dredge in flour. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

3. To serve, spread tartar sauce on the toasted buns or French bread, then tuck in the shrimp patties. Best served warm. Makes 8 to 12

MAIN DISH

Barbecued Shrimp My Way

6 pounds large shrimp, heads on (don’t peel them)
2 sticks butter
¾ cups olive oil
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1⁄3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon Tabasco (or more, according to taste)
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1. Rinse the shrimp in cool water and drain. Spread the shrimp in a large shallow baking pan. In a saucepan, melt butter, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Cool slightly.

2. Pour the sauce over shrimp and marinate for one hour. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir a couple of times with a spatula. Do not overcook. Serve in a soup bowl with lots of hot French bread to sop up the sauce. Be sure to have some trays around on which to put shells and such. Be forewarned — this can only be eaten with your hands. Makes 4 to 6 servings

DESSERT

Lemon Bars

1 stick butter, melted
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the butter, powdered sugar and one cup of the flour in a bowl.  Mix well. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs until light in color. Add the granulated sugar, the remaining two tablespoons flour, the baking powder and the lemon juice. Mix well.

4. Spread this mixture over the crust and bake for 30 minutes more.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into squares. Makes about 40 squares