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2006 Appetizer Category Winner

"Shrimp is a wonderful appetizer and the salt roasting technique, with a drizzling of chardonnay, saffron and honey, provide mouth-watering flavor. "

Salt Roasted Shrimp With Saffron Wine Sauce

2006 Appetizer Category Winner
Shoshana Baars-Stanton of California Culinary Academy

Serving size: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 6 medium prawns or large shrimp, deveined, tails on
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups Diamond Crystal® kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal® kosher salt
  • 4 whole black peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
  2. In medium bowl, blend olive oil, cilantro and garlic.
  3. Add shrimp; toss to coat.
  4. Cover and refrigerate.
  5. Spread Diamond Crystal® kosher salt in even layer on baking sheet to at least 1/2 inch thick, large enough to layer shrimp.
  6. Place baking sheet in oven for 30 minutes to heat salt.
  7. Remove from oven.
  8. Place prawns in single layer on hot salt. Return to oven.
  9. Bake 2 minutes. Turn prawns over; bake 2 minutes longer.
  10. Remove from oven. Brush all salt from shrimp (a pastry brush works well) and discard salt.
  11. Meanwhile, combine Chardonnay, saffron, remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, and peppercorns in medium saucepan.
  12. Heat over medium heat.
  13. Allow mixture to boil and reduce to 2 tablespoons.
  14. Discard peppercorns.
  15. Stir in honey and remove from heat.
  16. Whisk in butter a chunk at a time until blended. If necessary, heat briefly over low heat if mixture cools.
  17. Drizzle sauce over shrimp.