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Created by Chef Remy
Sweet Gulf shrimp sautéed in garlic butter, folded into a creamy, boldly seasoned base with Old Bay and Cajun spices, the kind of party dip that makes people ask for your recipe before they've finished their first cracker.
Good party food tells you something about the person who made it. This dip says Louisiana loud and clear. It says generosity. It says I care enough to sauté fresh shrimp in butter instead of dumping canned seafood into mayonnaise and calling it done.
My grandmother Evangeline made something like this for every family gathering, though she'd never have called it a dip. She called it shrimp spread, served it on saltines, and made twice as much as she thought we needed because that's the bayou way. The bowl always came back empty.
The secret is building flavor at every step. You season the shrimp before they hit the pan. You sauté them in butter with garlic. You season the cream cheese base separately, tasting as you go. Then you bring everything together and let it rest so the flavors get acquainted. At Lagniappe, we serve a fancier version with crawfish and crabmeat, but for home entertaining, this shrimp dip hits every note you want: creamy, chunky, bright with lemon, warm with spice, and impossible to stop eating.
Quantity
1 pound
peeled and deveined
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
3 cloves
minced
Quantity
1 teaspoon, divided
Quantity
16 ounces
softened
Quantity
1/2 cup
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/2 cup
thinly sliced, white and green parts
Quantity
1/4 cup
finely chopped
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| medium Gulf shrimppeeled and deveined | 1 pound |
| unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons |
| garlicminced | 3 cloves |
| Cajun seasoning | 1 teaspoon, divided |
| cream cheesesoftened | 16 ounces |
| sour cream | 1/2 cup |
| Old Bay seasoning | 1 tablespoon |
| Worcestershire sauce | 2 teaspoons |
| fresh lemon juice | 1 tablespoon |
| hot sauce | 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| green onionsthinly sliced, white and green parts | 1/2 cup |
| fresh parsleyfinely chopped | 1/4 cup |
| kosher salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1/4 teaspoon |
| crackers, French bread rounds, or vegetable crudités | for serving |
Pat your shrimp completely dry with paper towels. This matters more than you think. Wet shrimp steam instead of sear, and steamed shrimp have no soul. Toss the dried shrimp with half a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, coating every piece evenly. Let them sit five minutes while you prep your other ingredients. The seasoning needs time to wake up.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams and the foam begins to subside, add the shrimp in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for about ninety seconds until the edges turn pink and you see a light golden color on the bottom. Flip and cook another minute. Add the garlic in the last thirty seconds, stirring it into the butter so it perfumes everything without burning. Remove from heat immediately. The shrimp will continue cooking from residual heat.
Transfer the shrimp to a cutting board and let them cool for five minutes. Rough chop them into bite-sized pieces, some smaller and some larger. You want variety in texture. Some pieces will melt into the cream cheese while others give you something to bite into. Pour any pan juices and that garlicky butter right over the chopped shrimp. That's flavor you don't waste.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Beat with a wooden spoon or hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, about two minutes by hand. The cream cheese must be truly soft, not just room temperature. If it's still cold in the center, your dip will be lumpy and that's a disappointment nobody needs.
Add the Old Bay, remaining half teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and hot sauce to the cream cheese mixture. Stir until everything is incorporated. Now taste. This is where cooking by instinct comes in. The base should have a gentle heat, a brightness from the lemon, and that unmistakable Old Bay complexity. Adjust the hot sauce if you want more kick.
Add the chopped shrimp with all those buttery pan juices, the green onions (reserve a tablespoon for garnish), and the parsley to the cream cheese base. Fold gently with a spatula until everything is evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper. Taste again. The shrimp should sing through the richness of the cream cheese, and you should detect a pleasant warmth at the finish.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour, preferably two. The flavors need time to marry. When you're ready to serve, scatter the reserved green onions over the top and add a light dusting of Old Bay. Set out with sturdy crackers, toasted French bread rounds, or crisp vegetables. Watch it disappear.
1 serving (about 100g)
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