Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse is a man with a deep, warm voice. And when he speaks about Louisiana food, there’s no doubt where his heart is.
“Eating in Louisiana is a faith ; it isn’t almost nutrition,” Chef Folse announces. “It’s an in-gathering; it’s celebratory; it’s a prayer of thanks for all we have been in possession of from the swamp.”
John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mother as a young boy. His pa raised 6 boys and two girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he needed to teach his kids was to be good cooks.
And their first lesson was that only the freshest foods yield their true tastes. “He truly taught us to refuse anything less than great taste,” Cook says.
To serve the freshest foods, you must know what’s 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,” Cook laughs.
Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season begins in May and runs until fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you need to understand how to select the absolute best quality.
Well-taught cooks only purchase entire, 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 lifeless or dry.
Learning to capture the legendary taste of brown shrimp also implies learning a sense of timing. “A lot of folks are worried they will undercook shrimp,” Cook asserts, “but the real crime would be to overcook it and boil out all the flavor and texture.”
Follow these tips and your shrimp are sure to yield their true Louisiana flavors.
So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Cook Folse’s Shrimp Scampi. “Try this dish. It’s an easy, traditional shrimp recipe. And it’s one of my favorites.”
Chef explains that though scampi is a term used elsewhere to explain a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This straightforward recipe is impressive when served over pasta, fish or chicken.
For a brilliant wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a drink of beautiful 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, blend flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp gently in seasoned flour and put aside. In an enormous saut 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 often till pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.
Do you like to cook? If so, visit cooking101.org and get easy recipes you can use everyday to make delicious meals for the entire family and you might also want to take a look at recipe for grilled shrimp.
Tags: shrimp, shrimp recipe, shrimp scampi
