A little bit of history. While down in the bayou country this month I had the opportunity to visit many traditional and cultural events, so I would like to share some history with you along with a recipe I created a while ago—The Blessing of the fleet.
Along the fringes of coastal Louisiana narrow roads are lined on one side with boat docks and on the other with shuttered houses perched atop tall pilings, their yards laced with drying nets and crab traps. It is not unusual to drive through water lapping against the roadside, even when no hurricanes threaten, a reminder of the tenuous existence of the families who bring in the catch of the day.
They also brought to these shores a colorful custom that was practiced by their ancestors in Spain, France and Italy. An annual blessing of the fleet, scheduled at different times in various fishing communities, usually occurs during the white shrimp (prawn) season. A colorful parade of working boats, scrubbed clean and gaily decorated, chugs past a parish priest stationed on land who blesses each boat as it passes. Most are filled to the gunwales with friends, family, food and d rink, (sweet tea, with ½ cup of brandy, of course, just for the taste you see) all bound for a raucous party on the water. A mini Mardi Gras. It is a lighthearted celebration, but also a serious ritual for those who spend much of their lives facing the dangers of the Gulf.
RECIPE:
The shrimp in this dish are neither grilled over an open fire nor smothered in barbecue sauce, yet the name has persisted for generations. Jumbo shrimp are slowly simmered in a scandalous amount of butter, and then spiked with plenty of herbs and spices. Traditionally they are served unpeeled in wide soup bowls, accompanied by lots of napkins and French bread for sopping up the sauce. This recipe is from educator and gifted cook “the Cajun Queen”, a former resident, who replaces some of the butter with olive oil for a lighter dish.
-½ cup unsalted butter
-½ cup olive oil
-1 yellow onion, finely chopped
-2 tabs. dried oregano
-1 tab. dried rosemary
-lg. clove garlic
-½ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley – you can use dried.
-Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
-Cayenne pepper
-2 lb. extra-large shrimp (prawns), with heads attached
-¼ tsp. liquid smoke
-Warm French bread
The shrimp in this dish are neither grilled over an open fire nor smothered in barbecue sauce, yet the name has persisted for generations. Jumbo shrimp are slowly simmered in a scandalous amount of butter, and then spiked with plenty of herbs, spices and a few drops of liquid smoke. Traditionally they are served unpeeled in wide soup bowls, accompanied by lots of napkins and French bread for sopping up the sauce.
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and until next time…let the good times roll.
Bona Petite,
The Cajun Queen