½ pound fresh extra colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cold extra-large egg whites
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Garlic Purée (recipe follows) (optional)
Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)
Warm French bread, to serve
4 cooked extra colossal shrimp, to serve
Instructions
Cut shrimp into chunks; place chunks in the work bowl of a food processor, and process for about 30 seconds. Add salt and nutmeg, and process until mixture is smooth, 1 to 1½ minutes. (Be careful not to overprocess.) Add half of egg whites, and process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. (Be careful not to overprocess or mixture will become warm.) Repeat with remaining egg whites. Add cream, and process for 1 minute. (Mixture should be very smooth.) Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bring a large stockpot of salted water almost to a boil over medium-low heat.
Using a spoon, mold shrimp mixture into quenelles (egg-shaped dumplings), and lower them into boiling water. Poach until slightly firm to the touch, 2½ to 3 minutes. Turn, and repeat. Using a slotted spoon, remove quenelles, and let drain on a cloth napkin. (At this point, quenelles may be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.)
Divide Garlic Purée (if using) among 4 warm pasta bowls. Divide Barbecue Sauce and quenelles among bowls. Serve immediately with warm French bread for sopping up sauce.
Notes
Note: At Brennan’s, this dish is garnished with rosemary-dusted crostini and edible flowers.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/inside-brennans-journey-as-a-new-orleans-grande-dame/