Shrimp Remoulade
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp – peeled and deveined, tails on optional (~54 Large shrimps)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 lemon – halved
- 2 leaves bay
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 tbsp Creole mustard
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp lemon juice – fresh
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic – finely minced
- 1/4 cup celery – finely chopped
- 1/4 cup scallion – thinly sliced (~1.5 n/a green onions)
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- iceberg lettuce leaves – for serving
- lemon wedges – for serving

Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk Creole mustard, prepared horseradish, sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and garlic until smooth.
2. While whisking constantly, slowly stream in the neutral oil until the remoulade is thick and glossy, 1–2 minutes.
3. Stir in the celery, scallions, and flat-leaf parsley. Cover and chill 20 minutes to meld.
4. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the kosher salt, squeeze the lemon halves into the water then drop them in, and add the bay leaves and black peppercorns; reduce to a lively simmer and cook 5 minutes to perfume the water.
5. Add the large shrimp and simmer until pink and just opaque at the thickest part, 1.5–3 minutes. Drain immediately.
6. Spread the shrimp on a sheet pan to cool quickly, then refrigerate until fully chilled, 20–30 minutes.
7. In a large bowl, toss the chilled shrimp with enough remoulade to generously coat (about 3/4 cup). Reserve the remaining remoulade for the table.
8. Arrange iceberg lettuce leaves on plates, mound the shrimp on top, and serve with lemon wedges and the extra remoulade.
Shrimp Remoulade is a chilled seafood appetizer that layers cool, snappy shrimp with a bold, mustard-forward dressing. The sauce is bracing and aromatic—tangy with lemon and vinegar, lifted by horseradish and hot sauce, and rounded with sweet paprika and herbs. Served over crisp lettuce, it is refreshing yet assertive, making it a staple starter that wakes up the palate without feeling heavy.
Rooted in New Orleans’ Creole cooking, the dish adapts France’s remoulade into a uniquely local style. Early 20th‑century restaurants in the French Quarter popularized it, and it remains a fixture on white‑tablecloth menus and family holiday spreads alike. Over time two main versions emerged: a red, oil‑and‑mustard emulsion often linked to storied dining rooms, and a paler, mayonnaise‑based variant seen in homes and cafeterias—both celebrating Gulf shrimp and the city’s love of zesty sauces.
