Shrimp with Sorrel Sauce: Simple French Elegance

zouschef.com
serves 4
Ingredients

1 lb of large shrimp with shells (See note)
1 bunch (20-30) sorrel leaves
1 Shallot or roughly a quarter of a sweet onion
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Shrimp Stock (see stock instructions)
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
1/4 cup Cream
Olive oil
Salt, to taste
Juice of half of a lemon

Preparation
Sauce and Shrimp

If sorrel leaves are large, cut roughly. Mince the shallot.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and brown the minced shallot until lightly golden.
Deglaze the pan and shallots with the white wine, cooking briefly, then add the stock. Reduce the volume until it is about a third or half remaining. Remove from the heat and allow to rest while cooking shrimp.
In a second pan, sear the shrimp in olive oil until colored on both sides and thoroughly cooked. Important! -- When done squeeze a few drops of lemon on the shrimp.
Add the cream and the sorrel to the pan and stir. Let thicken slightly. Allow the sorrel to wilt completely. Do not reduce or thicken too much. You want a thin sauce with a light taste.
Add lemon juice and salt. Taste and adjust as you go.
Pour the sorrel sauce into deep plates and divide the shrimp over it.

Shrimp StockIf your shrimp has shells, they must be removed before cooking. They can be used to make a stock to add more flavor to your dish. If not present, skip these steps and use a bit more wine in the deglazing step.

If you have head-on shrimp remove heads and discard.
Peel the shrimp and add the peels to a saucepan. Add the shrimp to a bowl, and refrigerate for later use.
De-vein the shrimp and return to the refrigerator.
Add about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water to the saucepan. Bring the peels and water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Strain the stock and keep about 1/4 cup of the stock for the sauce. Freeze the rest for another use.

NotesIf your shrimp do not have shells, simply skip making and using the shrimp stock or use another light stock.