SHRIMP CLEMENCEAU

Shrimp (or Crayfish) Clemenceau

Adapted from Crescent City Cooking, Susan Spicer

2 cups diced potatoes–I did not peel, blanched until just barely tender

3 T olive oil (or more, see directions)

5 T butter

1 lb button or baby portabella mushrooms (I used the latter), cleaned and cut into quarters or sixths, depending on size

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails still attached (or use crayfish tails, about which I know nothing so my instructions are for shrimp)

2 cups peas, frozen are fine

salt and pepper to taste

hot sauce (I used Tabasco)

1-3 medium shallots, finely diced (to taste, I increased the shallot as we like a lot of onion)

1 1/4 cups white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4-6 garlic cloves, minced

3 scallions, finely chopped

This dish is very easy–the only thing making it at all difficult is that each ingredients needs to be cooked separately, allowing it to brown and crisp up, rather than all steam together. So do allow time for that.

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Have ready a large, oven-safe bowl.

Pat the potatoes dry. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until shimmering, at which point add 2 tablespoons of butter and the potatoes. Salt to taste–remember that they will be flavored with more than just the salt so you need less. Cook until the potatoes are evenly browned and crispy–I find it hard to get them perfectly crispy on a residential stove without frying in a lot of oil, so just do your best. Transfer them to the bowl and place in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 F.

Return the skillet to the heat–no need to clean–and reheat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms (do this in 2 batches if necessary, in which case use more oil). Sprinkle with salt. Cook until crispy and cooked through. Add to the potatoes. Once again, return the skillet to the heat but do not clean.

Add the shrimp, with a drizzle more oil if necessary–once again in batches if necessary. Cook until barely cooked though–you do not want them to dry out in the oven! Toss with the potatoes and mushrooms and then toss in the peas and return the bowl to the oven, but turn the oven off.

Deglaze the pan with the shallots and the wine, adding a pinch of salt. Bring the wine to a boil and cook until reduced to a glaze, about 4-6 tablespoons of liquid. Scrape the bottom of the pan to bring up any bits. Add the garlic with a dash of hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste and then turn the heat to very low. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Pour over the potato mixture in the bowl and toss to combine. Taste for salt and pepper–or additional lemon juice or hot sauce. Serve immediately.