A Classic New Orleans Shrimp Recipe (Updated)
This Shrimp Victoria recipe was sent to me from a home chef who liked the my website. She said this is one of her favorite meals to cook for her family.
When I did a little research, I found it is from New Orleans and may have originated at the famous the famous Brennan's restaurant. I did find a reference to it saying it was also served at Commander's Palace, another famous dining institution I've had the pleasure of eating at.
No matter where it came from, there are a couple of ingredients that must be included besides shrimp and they are fresh basil and sour cream. I also noted all the versions I've seen of this recipe include mushrooms so let's call it three key ingredients besides shrimp.
On Brennans' menu, they describe it as
SHRIMP VICTORIA - Gulf shrimp sautéed in butter with fresh basil and fresh mushrooms served in a light cream sauce with parsley rice.
For those of you looking for a quick and easy meal without a lot of fuss, this is a recipe for you. Enjoy
April 1, 2014 Shrimp Victoria Recipe Update
I prepared this recipe last night after posting it over 10 years ago. It was good but I thought it was a little bland and both my kids agreed with me.
So I'm going to make a few changes to make it better based on what I've learned over the past few years including sauteing the onions and mushrooms before adding the shrimp stock.
I would also suggest trying to spice it up by adding a few drops hot sauce like sriracha. My wife told me her mother prepared a similar dish she called Shrimp Louisiana but all she can remember about it was the over abundance of sherry.
Don't overdo it, but I think deglazing the pan with a little sherry or Marsala wine after sauteing the onions might be worth a try.
How do you know when shrimp are done cooking?
📖 Recipe
Shrimp Victoria Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup shrimp stock can be made with the shells from the shrimp you are using
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion minced finely
- ½ pound mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- ¼ cup light cream
- 1 pound shrimp medium sized, peeled and deveined
- salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by heating up the shrimp stock in a medium sized sauce pan. Bring it to a slow boil.
- While the stock is heating up, you can start preparing the roux (butter and flour) in another pan.
- Heat up a small sauce pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and then add the four. Using a whisk and stirring continuously, blend the flour and butter together until it forms a smooth, pale blonde roux and reserve.
To Prepare the Sauce
- Heat a a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the minced onion. Saute until the onions are translucent, 3 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and begin to brown.
- When the stock is boiling, add the reserved roux and stir well to combine. Add this mixture to the onions and mushrooms.
- Add the sour cream and again stir well to combine.
- Add the fresh basil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the light cream and continue simmering until the sauce begins to thicken. If you want to spice up this dish to give it some pizzazz, now's the time to add a few drops of hot sauce. You could also have some at the table to serve those who like it hot.
- Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink about three minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve over rice.
Notes
Mary L. Kleist
Sounds really good. I would like the wine deglazing sauce also. If I added coconut milk and curry; do you think it would work?
Joe Wisinski
I added a splash of dry sherry with a dash of sriacha.........wonderful
Betsy
A suggestion: the original recipe from Brennan’s includes a pretty substanial amount (2T) of homemade Worcestershire sauce. Most of us don’t have the ambition to ferment anchovies, etc., so good ol’ Lea and Perrin’s is fine (I use significantly less than the recipe calls for; it’s potent & I suspect the homemade version is less so)—but it’s a pretty critical ingredient, IMO. It just may be that je ne sais quoi that you’re seeking. I also add a little pinch of cayenne; can’t recall if it’s original to the recipe or if I modified, but it works.
G. Stephen Jones
Hi Betsy, thanks for these tips. I'll give them a try next time I prepare this dish. Thanks.