I never need an excuse to crave Cajun food. It happens all the time thanks to my semi-frequent visits to Lafayette, Louisiana. But Mardi Gras is the perfect excuse to make one of my favorite comfort foods: Cajun shrimp alfredo. I used to buy pre-made alfredo or the powder stuff that says something along the lines of “just add milk!” but I was never all that thrilled with how they turned out. The thought of attempting to make a dairy-based sauce made me nervous–won’t it curdle? I thought I would inevitably mess it up, so why even bother? I decided that it was worth a try, especially after reading online recipes that seemed pretty straight forward and simple. This is a basic alfredo sauce recipe, but it can be used for so many things from alfredo pizza to a dipping sauce.
What you will need for the sauce:
- 1 c. 2% milk
- 1/2 – 3/4 c. heavy cream or half and half (amount depends on desired consistency–use half and half for less fat)
- 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
Other ingredients:
- Raw shrimp
- Pasta
- Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Start out by peeling your raw shrimp and setting them on a plate. Cover one side in Tony’s Creole Seasoning and let sit while you make the sauce and pasta. You will get the chance to add seasoning to the other side while cooking the shrimp.
Add 1 tbsp. butter to a sauce pan and let melt. Once the butter is melted, you can add grated garlic if you wish. I left it out this time because the Tony’s seasoning has so much flavor that I didn’t find it necessary. Add 1 tbsp. flour to create your roux. A roux acts as a thickening agent, and once you know how to make it, you can use it in tons of other recipes. Use a whisk to mix the flour and butter together on medium heat until the mixture becomes bubbly.
You will want to cook your roux for at least 2 minutes so that the flour flavor dissipates. Once your roux is golden, simply add the milk and half and half and whisk constantly. Stirring constantly will make sure that the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom as the sauce thickens. Keep it on medium heat and stir until it reaches the desired consistency. Remember that it will set up a bit as it cools off. If it gets too thick after sitting for a minute, you can always add a splash of half and half to thin it out. Add grated parmesan cheese to the sauce and take off the heat. I used about 1/4 c. this time, but you can add as much or as little as you wish. Keep in mind that this thickens the sauce, too. While you are making the sauce, make sure to get your pasta started. I prefer penne but you can use whatever you like best.
Now for the shrimp. They are peeled, seasoned and ready to go into a skillet.
You will want to coat the skillet in a little bit of butter, but you don’t need to drown your shrimp. Put the shrimp seasoned side down in the skillet and let cook for about 1 minute. While the first side is cooking, coat the other side (which is now face up) with Tony’s. Flip and cook for about 1 more minute. You do NOT want to overcook your shrimp because they get rubbery very fast. The heat will continue to cook the shrimp even after you have taken them out of the skillet.
Plate your pasta and alfredo sauce, then top with shrimp and a little extra parmesan cheese.
All you need now is to make yourself a daiquiri, grab a slice of King Cake, and enjoy!
-M
M.Fitzpleasure 