Wow, was last week great, or what? The week ended with a brilliant Easter day here in south Florida. I didn’t cook. Jimmy, ever so generously, took us all to brunch. James ordered Crab Benedict which got me to thinking THIS week about crab….and remoulade sauce. Homemade remoulade sauce. And not some chemical-laden, jarred mayonnaise with a bunch of dried up, processed herbs and spices thrown in. NO, I craved the mile-long list of ingredients remoulade from the likes of Craig Claiborne and Julia Reed sitting alongside Pat Conroy’s crab cakes. Lee Bailey’s recipe is also lovely but his makes up 6 cups. A little more than I need on this spring day. Easy and quickly made, the sauce does require quite a few components but I’ve got to tell you, you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry and refrigerator. I ate my weight in remoulade during the late 70’s in New Orleans. I was living in Atlanta and I was so lonely and lost. Those were bad…BAD years for me. Since I worked with Delta I would fly to N’awlins any chance I could and stay with a dear, sweet ex-neighbor from midtown Atlanta. His partner had up and left him for a richer man so my friend, Tommy, put in for a transfer to New Orleans and got it. We spent countless nights depressed and unhappy, losing ourselves in bourbon and gorging ourselves with the freshest of local seafood. Every time I left I was still a sad mess but I always welcomed the incredible escape of that city and its celebrated cuisine. Remoulade is spicy and the heady mix of ingredients will play in your mouth hard and long. It’s heaven. And it stays fresh in the refrigerator for a good week as long as you are diligent making sure your knives, cutting board, food processor and blade, etc. are spotless before using. Don’t skimp on the lemon and vinegar as those two ingredients also help to prevent bacteria. Furthermore it’s not just good with seafood. How about a BLT on a pretzel roll slathered with remoulade? Oh, and the tomato is a tart, fried green tomato. Mercy. This recipe is from Julia Reed’s book “Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns and Other Southern Specialties”. You’ll love it!
Remoulade Sauce
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
- 1/4 lemon, seeded and cut up including rind
- 1 bay leaf, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons Creole mustard
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Place the yolks in a blender or food processor and blend for 1 minute.
- With the machine running, add the oil gradually in a thin stream until the emulsion is thickened.
- One at a time, add the remaining ingredients and process until well blended and the lemon rind is finely chopped.
- Transfer the sauce to a covered container and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Note: This should be enough to toss with a pound and a half of medium to large shrimp.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
Just discovered your blog this morning when someone shared a recipe on FB. I have just tripled my grocery list for the day! So many things I cannot wait to try not to mention the joy of reading your stories. You have a way with the pen!
Thank you so much! My hope is you enjoy both the stories and the recipes! Feel free to spread the word!