By: Elizabeth Webber Akre

My next door neighbor and I go way back. I bought my house way, way back in 1993.  Now, statistically speaking, I should have moved a long time ago.  She should be long gone, too. In fact, everyone on my street with the exception of 4 should have moved on.  Why are we still here? I guess it’s the fact that we have a tree-lined street that doesn’t connect to a major artery of traffic, we can walk our kids to the elementary school, we’re in town and close to everything, and it’s comfortable. We all know each other. We meet outside and chat while the kids ride bikes. We have block parties. My next door neighbor and I have keys to each other’s houses. When we go out of town, she feeds our dog. We check her mail when she travels. I once came home to find her leaving my house with a roll of toilet paper. “Emergency borrowing,” I like to call it.

For ages, she’s been talking about her mother’s shrimp remoulade. I’ve heard about this dish so many times I can’t even count. She always talked about making it for us, for which I’ve eagerly awaited. When Neil and I went to New Orleans years ago, as soon as we arrived, we dropped our bags at the hotel and headed to the French Quarter. We ducked into the first little place we found and were seated in an interior courtyard for lunch. I ordered shrimp remoulade which was served over an avocado half. It was positively divine and ever since, I’ve been on a quest for that remoulade sauce. I’ve never been able to duplicate it at home and no restaurant that serves “remoulade” ever comes close to the sauce I crave.

So guess what happened? On a lovely Saturday evening, my neighbor showed up at my door with her mama’s shrimp remoulade, roasted potatoes, asparagus and a bottle of white wine. Now, this is the kind of treatment I could get used to. All I had to do was set the table. And this famous remoulade? Touchdown!  THIS is the remoulade that I’ve coveted from that long ago trip to New Orleans. I mean, it is spot on!  Perfection. And, now I have the recipe. And, I’ve been given permission to share it with you. 

Mrs. Miner’s Shrimp Remoulade

• 1 cup mayo
• 1 Tbs chopped onion
• 1 Tbs chopped parsley
• 1 Tbs chopped celery
• 2 Tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbs prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp salt
• Dash of hot sauce (like Tabasco)
• ¼ cup salad oil
• 1 Tbs vinegar
• ½ tsp Worchestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate.  Best if allowed to chill overnight for flavors to marry. Top a bed of lettuce with boiled shrimp and drizzle with sauce. 

This is a fantastic dish for a luncheon, brunch, shower or for a cool dish on a hot summer night, like we had. This is the sauce that is perfect on a Po’ Boy as well. And, I’ll say it again: I could really get used to having friends just show up at my house with a complete meal. Especially when it’s something this special and satisfies one of my age-old recipe quests! I hope you’ll try it and love it as much as we do.

Elizabeth Akre writes the blog Gastronomy (by a Wanna-be Chef).