Robert St. John’s Baked Shrimp and Squash

Southern Classics

I have always believed that my baked shrimp and squash recipe is a perfect example of Pineywoods cuisine. It makes use of shrimp harvested an hour south in the Gulf of Mexico, it has Creole seasonings from New Orleans and the Louisiana bayous 90 minutes to the southwest. And it draws its main ingredient from the South Mississippi garden.

Ingredients

6 cups Squash, cubed (3/4-inch cubes)
1/4 cup Clarified butter or canola oil
1 Tbl Garlic, minced
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper, freshly ground
1 Tbl Creole Seasoning
1/2 cup Green onion, chopped
3 cups Wild-caught, domestic Shrimp (36–42 count), peeled and de-veined
1/4 cup Clarified butter or canola oil
1 Tbl Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tbl. Garlic
1/2 cup Onion, medium dice
1/4 cup Red Bell pepper, medium dice
1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, medium dice
4 Tbl Butter, cubed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup Green Onion
1 Tbl Hot Sauce
1 cup Ritz Cracker crumbs, crumbled
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbl Parsley, chopped

Instructions

Sautee the first seven ingredients until the squash is cooked. Place squash in a colander and press out excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Pour all into a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Sautee the next seven ingredients until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Transfer shrimp to the mixing bowl with the squash.

Immediately add butter, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onion and hot sauce to the bowl with the hot shrimp/squash mixture. Stir well until butter and cheeses are melted.

Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Mix together the Ritz crumbs, parmesan and parsley. Top casserole with the cracker crumb mixture and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

Yield: 6-8 Servings

© Robert St. John 2001

Recipe published in A Southern Palate Cookbook, Different Drummer Press

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