Shelly's Recipe

Southern Style Shrimp & Sausage Scampi

Category: Fish and Seafood

2 pounds large Alabama or Gulf Coast shrimp, peeled, deep deveined (almost butterflied)
1 tablespoon no-salt Creole Seasoning
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oil for frying (peanut oil is best, extra light olive oil is okay)
11 pound smoked sliced sausage, optional
2 tablespoons minced garlic or about 12 toes, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon bay leaf powder, or 1 large bay leaf
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (Vermouth is great)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted cold butter (yes, use real butter here) cut into teaspoon size pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for plating
1 pound fresh linguine, cooked

Pat the shrimp completely dry. Sprinkle with the Creole seasoning and toss in a paper bag with the flour. Lay on a wire rack until ready to cook.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or deep fryer to 365 degrees F. A good test is to fry a piece of bacon and when it turns brown the oil is hot and also flavored. Carefully fry the shrimp in batches for about 1 minute each side or until the shrimp turns a light brown. Remove to a wire rack on a sheet pan and keep warm (a 200 degree over works great). Continue frying the shrimp until all is cooked.

Over medium high heat, add about a tablespoon of oil to a large skillet cook the sausage until brown on both sides. Remove to drain on a paper lined plate. Set aside.

Add the garlic to the skillet and sauté over medium high heat for about 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, bay leaf powder, chicken stock and wine. Allow mixture to reduce to half in volume. Season with salt and pepper to taste and incorporate in the butter by whisking it off-heat into the sauce. When emulsified and velvety, return skillet over medium heat and add in the shrimp and green onions. Tenderly toss the shrimp coating with the sauce, cover and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, toss again adding the parsley and serve over warm linguine.

Be sure to serve with crusty hot French bread.

Serves 4 to 6