New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp from The Gumbo Pages.

This dish has absolutely nothing to do with a barbecue pit or barbecuing. It consists of large shrimp that are baked whole in a savory mixture of butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and spices. The sauce is so incredibly good that it impressed everybody I cooked it for, from Lagos to Milano, to London, to Aberdeen, to Houston!

The dish was invented at Pascal's Manale Restaurant on Napoleon Avenue in New Orleans.

Ingredients:
For the marinade:

• 4 lb shrimp, heads and shells on, de-veined
• 2 lb butter: a) do not tell your cardiologist about this and b) do not use margarine, real butter only
• 2 tbsp Créole Seasoning, to taste
• 2 tbsp rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 6 oz good beer (no mainstream swill)
• 5 or more cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, very finely chopped
• 3-4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Melt a stick of the butter in a skillet. Sauté the garlic, onions, celery, parsley, rosemary and Créole seasoning blend for about 2 - 3 minutes.
2. Melt the rest of the butter. Add the beer (drink the rest of the bottle). Add the sauteed stuff, Worcestershire and lemon juice.
3. Drown the shrimp in the seasoned butter, using as many baking dishes as you need. Make sure the shrimp are more or less submerged. If they're not ... melt more butter and add to the sauce. (If cholesterol concerns outweigh desires for authentic taste, substitute olive oil.) Bake in a 400 deg F oven until the shrimp turn pink, about 15 minutes.
4. Serve in big bowls. Put in a handful of shrimp and ladle lots of the spicy butter sauce over it. Roll up your sleeves and wear a bib (Do not wear nice clothes when eating this.). Serve with plenty of French bread to sop up the sauce.
5. Try to avoid going to have your cholesterol and triglycerides taken for a few weeks afterwards. Remember that this is a special treat.
6. YIELD: Serves 8-10.