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 religion; it's not virtually nutrition," Chef Folse claims. "It's an in-gathering ; it's celebratory ; it is a prayer of thanks for all we've been in possession of from the swamp."
John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mummy as a young boy. His pop raised 6 boys and two 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 latest foods yield their true flavors. "He actually taught us to refuse anything less than great taste," Chef says.
To serve the freshest foods, you want to 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 giggles.
Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season begins in May and runs till fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you need to understand how to select the very best quality.
Well-taught cooks only purchase entire, in-shell, raw shrimp when they are shown 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 suggests learning a feeling 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 certain 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 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 fantastic wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a glass of lovely 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 lightly in seasoned flour and put aside. In an enormous saut pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes or till edges turn golden. Mix 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.
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