Spatula Diaries: Lenten indulgence of garlicky shrimp sauté over French bread

February 25, 2015

Lent may be the season of restraint, but in Louisiana, it’s become 40 days of seafood-centric culinary creativity. From backyard boiled crawfish to indulgent chef’s specials on Fridays, there’s no shortage of good eats wrapped up in all that contemplation and sober self-sacrifice.

Last Friday, the first Friday of Lent, I dropped by Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge to check out the action. Even though it was mid-afternoon, the hot food line at Tony’s was still 25 deep. This was a big bummer because I didn’t have time to wait for the fried catfish snack and trio of boudin balls I’d been fantasizing about driving up I-110.

“Man. Look at that line,” I said to the guy bagging up my fresh shrimp. And as if it required no other explanation (even at 3:30 in the afternoon) he said, “Well, it is Lent.”

Indeed. And just as Lent is an excuse for restaurants to get creative, so it is at home. Here’s an easy, sumptuous dinner using Gulf shrimp sautéed with garlic, olive oil and veggies draped over French bread. Because it uses a little butter and Worcestershire sauce, it flirts with traditional New Orleans-style barbecued shrimp.

Garlicky shrimp over French bread
Serves 4

¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
One red pepper, diced
One small bunch asparagus, cut into one-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. large Gulf shrimp, cleaned
Salt and pepper to taste
One baguette, sliced long ways and toasted

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce. Add red pepper and sauté about two minutes. Add asparagus and sauté two minutes. Add garlic, shrimp and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté, stirring frequently, until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat and serve over serving size slices of grilled or toasted baguette.

Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, an Omnivore’s Journey, released next month. Visit her at www.hungryforlouisiana.com and follow her on Twitter at @mhrwriter.