Legendary Brown Shrimp By Chef John Folse

Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse is a man with a deep, warm voice. And when he speaks about Louisiana food, there is no doubt where his heart is.

“Eating in Louisiana is a faith ; it is not virtually nutrition,” Cook Folse says. “It’s an in-gathering ; it’s celebratory; it’s a prayer of thanks for all we’ve been blessed with from the swamp.”

John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mummy as a young boy. His pop raised six boys and 2 girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he needed to teach his children was to be good cooks.

And their first lesson was that only the freshest foods yield their true tastes. “He actually taught us to decline anything less than great taste,” Cook says.

To serve the most up to date foods, you must know what is in season. “When it’s brown shrimp season, you eat brown shrimp. When it’s white shrimp season, you eat white shrimp. When it’s strawberry season, you eat strawberries,” Chef chuckles.

Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season starts in May and runs till fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you want to know how to select the very best quality.

Well-taught cooks only purchase whole, in-shell, raw shrimp when they’re displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice-not melting-under a cover. The shrimp meats must be firm to The shells must be translucent and moist, not dull or dry.

Learning to capture the legendary taste of brown shrimp also means learning a feeling of timing. “A lot of people are worried they may undercook shrimp,” Cook claims, “but the real crime would be to overcook it and boil out all the flavour and texture.”

Follow these tips and your shrimp are sure to yield their true Louisiana flavours.

So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Cook Folse’s Shrimp Scampi. “Try this dish. It’s a straightforward, conventional shrimp recipe. And it’s one of my favorites.”

Chef explains that although scampi is a term used some place else to explain a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This simple recipe is magnificent when served over pasta, fish or chicken.

For a brilliant wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a glass of wonderful Alice White Chardonnay.

Chef John Folse’s Shrimp Scampi

11/2 pounds (20-25 count) Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup flour

Salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp gently in seasoned flour and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 mins or till edges turn golden. Blend in shrimp, shallots, basil and oregano. Using a slotted spoon, turn shrimp occasionally until pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.

If you find this article useful, you should also check out cooking101.org to learn more about some easy techniques of cooking all sorts of quality meals, including grilled shrimp recipe.