Drunken Shrimp

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon Emeril's Original Essence, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Scotch whisky
• 1/2 cup green ginger wine
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups fresh watercress, rinsed and dried
• 8 lightly buttered, toasted croutons

Directions

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, Essence, salt, lemon juice, whiskey and ginger wine to the pan and cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Remove the shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon and cover to keep warm. Add the honey and cream to the pan and cook until thickened. Add the shrimp back to the pan, and stir well to coat and warm through. Remove the pan from the heat.

Divide the watercress among 4 small serving plates. Spoon the shrimp over the watercress, and serve with toasted croutons.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.