I love a hot appetizer –something warm, fragrant and tasty to eat as I sip my cocktail and get in the mood to relax and enjoy the dinner ahead. Makes me happy.
As a host, though, turning out a warm cocktail snack in the late stages of cooking dinner can be a little stressful. For me, at least, it’s got to be something quick and simple or I’m risking a charm-challenging spike in my blood pressure.
Fortunately, my love of the hot app has led me to some reliably no-sweat solutions like mini grilled cheese sandwiches and gougeres. And here’s a new favorite. It’s a warm twist on the tried (tired?) and true shrimp with “cocktail” sauce that uses Vadouvan, an exotic yet accessible toasted Franco-Indian spice blend to flavor the dish. You can pretty easily make a batch of Vadouvan yourself or you can buy it already prepared online or at specialty spice stores, but either way it’s a great thing to keep on hand to easily add special flavor to soups and stews, chicken dishes, eggs (amazing) and seafood.
This recipe uses brown butter infused with Vadouvan to simply sauté shimp. The butter is fast and simple to make and keeps for months in the fridge so you can use it for more batches of shrimp, and for things like frying eggs or drizzling over plain couscous to create an amazing side dish in no time at all. (Recently I learned that a dinner guest was vegetarian –as I was clearing the salad plates and pulling the leg of lamb out of the oven. In a real life “Quickfire Challenge,” I used some Vadouvan brown butter I had stashed in the fridge to sauté some vegetables dress some instant couscous to make a tasty vegetarian entree in about 7 minutes.) Once you’ve got the butter made (which, of course, you’ll want to do in advance), the shimp take about five minutes to cook, leaving you with plenty of time and psychic energy to enjoy one with your own pre-dinner drink.
Recipe
For the Vadouvan Brown Butter
(adapted from Mourad New Moroccan by Mourad Lahlou)
Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons Vadouvan
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan with high sides. Simmer over medium heat until the solids that form on the bottom of the pan turn a caramel color (and not until they’re dark brown), about 10 minutes.
2. Turn off the heat, add the Vadouvan and stir. The butter will foam up (which is why you need the high-sided pan).
3. Set aside for at least an hour before using. (There’s no need to strain the butter.)
Vadouvan brown butter will keep in the fridge for several months, so you’ll want to make a full batch to keep on hand.
To make Shrimp in Vadouvan Brown Butter
Ingredients
Vadouvan brown butter
Large shelled and deveined shrimp
Chives (for optional garnish)
1. Warm enough Vadouvan brown butter to amply cover the bottom of a skillet over medium heat for about two minutes.
2. Add the shrimp and cook, turning once, until they are cooked through, about 5 minutes total.
3. Garnish with chopped chives, parsley or cilantro, if desired, and serve immediately with extra Vadouvan brown butter on the side for dipping.
This dish also makes a delicious light lunch or first course for dinner served over salad greens dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette.
