I CHEATED.  I USED THE SEASONING FOR BBQ SHRIMP BELOW.  IT WAS SPICY AND DELICIOUS.  JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS AND YOU CAN’T GO WRONG.  I DID ADD FRESH SCALLIONS AND FRESH MINCED GARLIC, WINE AND A SQUEEZE OF LEMON JUICE.  THE SHRIMP WERE ABSOLUTELY DECADENT, SWIMMING IN SPICY BUTTER!  THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL BUT IT WILL DEFINITELY IMPROVE YOUR ATTITUDE.

THE DAY AFTER I MADE THESE BBQ SHRIMP, I PULLED THEM OUT OF THE FRIG AND ATE THEM COLD WITH MAYONNAISE AND CRISP ROSEMARY CRACKERS.  THEY ARE EVEN BETTER COLD THAN WHEN THEY WERE HOT!  AFTER A NIGHT IN THE FRIG, THEY ARE EMBEDDED IN BUTTER (ALMOST LIKE A CONFIT) AND YOU JUST PULL THEM OUT OF THE BUTTER, DIP THEM IN A LITTLE MAYO AND POP THEM ON A CRACKER.  I ATE SO MANY COLD SHRIMP STANDING AT THE KITCHEN COUNTER I ALMOST RUINED MY APPETITE FOR DINNER.

AS FOR PREPARING RAW SHRIMP, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PEEL THEM AND RUN A SHARP KNIFE DOWN THE BACK TO PULL OUT THAT GROSS BLACK VEIN.  I USUALLY DO THIS UNDER RUNNING WATER. THEN PILE THEM ON A PAPER TOWEL AND DRY THEM REALLY WELL.  THEY SHOULD BE DRY WHEN YOU PLACE THEM IN THE CASSEROLE BEFORE YOU POUR THE COOLED BUTTER SAUCE OVER THEM.  THEN WATCH THEM AS THEY COOK BECAUSE THE COOKING TIME WILL VARY ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF THE SHRIMP, ETC., AND YOU DO NOT WANT TO OVERCOOK THESE.  THERE WILL BE A LITTLE RESIDUAL COOKING EVEN WHEN YOU REMOVE THEM FROM THE OVEN, NOT MUCH, BUT SOME.  OVERCOOKED SHRIMP ARE A TRAVESTY.

NOW: HERE IS THE RECIPE FOR MR. B’S BBQ SHRIMP.  NO PACKAGED SEASONING HERE BUT READ THIS RECIPE BECAUSE THIS IS THE GOLD STANDARD RECIPE FOR BBQ SHRIMP:

Don’t break out your grill for this dish. Here in New Orleans, barbecued shrimp means sautéed shrimp in Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce. We serve these shrimp with heads and tails on, so you need to dig in to enjoy. I highly recommend a bib.

We are famous for our barbecued shrimp, and with reason. The biggest trick to making this taste like ours is to not hold back on the butter. The three sticks called for are enough to scare you into cholesterol shock, but are key to the flavor and consistency of the sauce. Another tip to keep in mind: to emulsify the sauce, be sure to add a little butter at a time while stirring rapidly. And don’t overcook the shrimp or they’ll become tough and hard to peel.

• 16 jumbo shrimp (12 per pound, about 1 1/2 pounds), with heads and unpeeled
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• French bread as accompaniment

In a large skillet combine shrimp, Worcestershire, lemon juice, black peppers, Creole seasoning, and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until shrimp turn pink, about 1 minute on each side. Reduce heat to moderate and stir in butter, a few cubes at a time, stirring constantly and adding more only when butter is melted. Remove skillet from heat. Place shrimp in a bowl and pour sauce over top. Serve with French bread for dipping.

Yield: 4 appetizers or 2 entrees