Shrimp Newburg

Easy, elegant and excellent!

If you are entertaining and want to make a very simple yet elegant entree for your guests, this is the recipe for you.  It takes minimal ingredients, is easy to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious.  I would suggest that if you make this for four, double the recipe.  This recipe fed only two of us.  The original recipe calls for cooked shrimp.  However, I prefer to buy raw shrimp and cook them myself.  So, I will tell you how to prepare your own raw shrimp.

Ingredients:

2 T. butter
1 3/4 T. flour
1 c. half and half
3 T. chili sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. dry mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
dash of red pepper (cayenne)
2 T. sherry
minced fresh chives

 

 

 
In preparation to cook the raw shrimp, I buy frozen shelled and deveined 26/30.  Allow them to defrost.  Put them into a strainer and pour cold water over them until they have completely thawed.  To cook the shrimp, I use a small covered pan with a half cup of cold water, half cup of beer (or vinegar, if you don't want to use beer) and two tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning.  Bring that to a slight boil, add the shrimp, and cover.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.  Remove them from the pan and place in a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool.

 

In a saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour and whisk until the flour has been absorbed into the butter.  Cook for 3-4 minutes to remove the taste of the flour.

 

 

 

Add half and half to the butter and flour mixture and stir until it thickens.  Add chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and pepper and shrimp.  Reduce heat to medium and stir until shrimp and sauce are hot.

Just before serving, add sherry.  Serve hot on rice or pasta.  Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the top and garnish with chives.