Shrimp Newburg

This shrimp Newburg takes the classic New York dish and gives it a Cajun twist. Worcestershire, beef bouillon, dry mustard, and a dash of hot sauce build layers of savory depth that straight-laced Newburg recipes don’t have.

The base is a simple white sauce: butter, flour, and hot milk cooked until thick and smooth. Raw shrimp go directly into the sauce to cook, which means they release their briny juices right into the cream as they turn pink. That’s flavor you can’t get from pre-cooked shrimp.

Pimentos and their liquid add a sweet, roasted pepper flavor and turn the sauce a gorgeous pale coral color.

The egg and cream get added right at the end, off the heat. This is critical. If the sauce is too hot it will scramble the egg instead of enriching it into a silky, velvety finish.

Pro Tips

• Cook the flour-butter roux until it bubbles for a full minute before adding milk. Raw flour taste is the number one killer of cream sauces.
• Add the milk hot, not cold. Cold milk hitting a hot roux creates lumps. Warm it in the microwave or a separate pot.
• Temper the egg by whisking a spoonful of the hot sauce into the beaten egg first, then stir the mixture back into the pot. This prevents curdling.
• Serve over toast points, puff pastry shells, or steamed rice.

Variations

• Add a splash of dry sherry for a more traditional Newburg flavor profile.
• Stir in lump crabmeat along with the shrimp for a luxurious seafood combination.
• Use smoked paprika instead of dry mustard for a smokier Cajun character.