Creole Shrimp Vinaigrette Rémoulade

Whew, it's over...

Of the many good foods we had over the Mardi Gras season, I want to share with you this recipe. In fact, my neighbor asked for the recipe so here it is - glad to oblige Simona - plus it should be great during the Lenten season.

Many times I make up a bowl of the more famous version, you know, the creamy sauce from the classic and somewhat French variation consisting of Creole mustard, paprika and cayenne bound in a mayonnaise base. But this time during carnival I made the piquant Rémoulade sauce that is a Creole classic here in the south. It's a reddish vinaigrette version unique to our area and is full of parsley, scallions and celery giving it a nice, clean taste and is so, soooo good with boiled shrimp, crab claws and crawfish tails too. Both have many of the same elements like Creole mustard, paprika, cayenne and celery, but the taste between the two is entirely different. Enjoy this fine sauce folks!

Creole Vinaigrette Rémoulade

1 small finely chopped shallots (about 2 tablespoons)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped celery tops and leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion

Put the shallots and garlic through a garlic press or mash with the flat side of a large chef knife and scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in the next seven listings well. With a steady whisking motion, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify into the mixture. Stir in the celery, parsley and scallion. You can keep this vinaigrette 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator.

Serve as a dressing or a dipping sauce but I like to serve it as a salad by marinating boiled peeled, deveined shrimp in it for at least 12 hours and over a bed of mixed salad greens with tomato wedges.

NOTE: As for the shrimp, I find it is best to just under-cook them if you are marinating the shrimp in the Rémoulade sauce 8 hours or more. I like to use a mild bath consisting of lemons, bay leaves and Creole seasonings. The vinaigrette mixture will further cook the shrimp much like ceviche but the flavors will be so much better by allowing the shrimp to marinate in the sauce. Do not do so more than 24 hours or the shrimp can become tough.