Wild Shrimp & Cognac with Creole Cream Cheese Grits

Commander’s Palace ships its famous Creole grits nationwide on Goldbelly! We all love shrimp! So much so that shrimp has become America’s favorite seafood. The odd thing is that more than 95% of the shrimp consumed in the US are imported and farm-raised from other countries. Commander’s Palace’s shrimp are caught in the wild right in Southern Louisiana and are firmer in texture because they swim in brackish bays and daily tides in the Gulf of Mexico. These shrimp are also naturally briny so they do not add any extra salt to the recipe.

Creole cream cheese is unique to the region. It is a fresh house-made cheese that is split with vegetable rennet and then left to mature for 48-hours. It has a light cream cheese texture with a unique tang of citrusy flavors and a sweetness only achieved with local milk. This farmstead cheese used to not be available commercially, but thanks to Chef Jamie Shannon along with Motes dairy farm, the beloved soft cheese started appearing in local farmers markets and has a permanent place on Commander’s Palace menus.

Add two loaves of Commander’s Palace’s legendary garlic bread. This garlic bread has been a staple in our restaurant and is served warm at every table when you join us to dine. Back in the mid 1990’s, Chef Jamie Shannon got tired of making it before each shift and decided to switch it out and serve Cognac whipped chicken liver mousse instead. Although the recipe tasted great, our guests revolted and demanded we bring back the famous bread to start each meal. The risky experiment lasted only a week and the cheese-covered crispy bread was back by popular demand and here to stay.

Nestled in the heart of New Orleans’ tree-lined Garden District, Commander’s Palace has been serving legendary Haute Creole cuisine since 1893. Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, Jamie Shannon, Tory McPhail, and now Meg Bickford are just some of the chefs who have commanded the kitchen over the years. This New Orleans restaurant, known for its garlic bread, turtle soup, and seafood gumbo, is the winner of seven James Beard Foundation Awards.