Today is Mardi Gras, (aka Fat Tuesday) the last day of the Carnival season and the final day before the beginning of Lent. It is usually the culmination of six weeks worth of indulgent eating and drinking, with parades and balls and general merriment. As with so many things over the past year, Mardi Gras will look very different this year. Parades won’t roll in the streets and there will be no large crowds or events in New Orleans. But residents have found a way to continue the parade of floats tradition with house floats. More than 3,000 residents have decorated the fronts of their homes in New Orleans. Spectators can cruise or walk past homes-turned-floats to enjoy the spirit of Mardi Gras.
Since we are nowhere near Louisiana of homes-turned-floats, we’ll be celebrating Fat Tuesday with a French inspired shrimp dish from the area where the French and Spanish borders meet, known as Basque Country. Pil pil is a flavorful Basque sauce made from olive oil, garlic, and chili peppers. The name comes from the sound the oil makes as it boils and spits. Shrimp is abundant and fresh in New Orleans and the perfect protein to celebrate Mardi Gras. (Here’s a few prior Mardi Gras recipes to consider for the celebration, too: Cajun Chicken, King Cake, Crab & Shrimp Étouffée, and King Cake Dip.)
Shrimp Pil Pil with Spinach
Shrimp Pil Pil with Spinach (adapted from realsimple.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, divided
- 1-1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, divided
- 1 pound fresh spinach
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1-1/2 pounds peeled, large raw shrimp
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- toasted bread, for serving
Instructions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the garlic and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook, tossing, until it is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season the spinach with 1/4 teaspoon salt and transfer it to a bowl, covering it to keep it warm.
Add the spinach to the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
The spinach will cook down considerably.
Pat the shrimp dry and season it with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the butter and remaining 4 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Heat the pan over medium-high heat until the butter is melted.
Paprika, garlic, and red pepper flakes go into the pil pil sauce.
Add the paprika, remaining garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
The shrimp will be cooked in the butter, oil, garlic, and seasonings.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant and the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook until they are opaque and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, turning them halfway through.
Add the shrimp to the pan.
Turn the shrimp over after cooking them for two minutes.
The shrimp and pil pil sauce are ready
Serve the shrimp with the warm spinach and serve with bread, if desired.
We are ready to celebrate!
Food makes the celebration! ~Linda
Shrimp Pil Pil with Spinach (adapted from realsimple.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, divided
- 1-1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, divided
- 1 pound fresh spinach
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1-1/2 pounds peeled, large raw shrimp
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- toasted bread, for serving
Instructions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the garlic and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook, tossing, until it is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season the spinach with 1/4 teaspoon salt and transfer it to a bowl, covering it to keep it warm.
Pat the shrimp dry and season it with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the butter and remaining 4 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Heat the pan over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the paprika, remaining garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant and the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook until they are opaque and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, turning them halfway through. Serve the shrimp with the warm spinach and serve with bread, if desired.