Cajun Shrimp with Tasso Cream Sauce

When anyone mentions anything Cajun, my mouth immediately begins to water. So when I laid my eyes on this dish by Matt over at @_backporchcookin_ on Instagram, I knew we had to get the recipe. Luckily, he graciously agreed to share it with us (and you)! Keep in mind he's from the south and likes things hot, so back off on that Cajun seasoning if you can't handle it. This can be served over pasta, rice or Matt's Crispy Cheddar Grit Cakes.

Note: If you don't have a go-to Cajun seasoning, Matt recommends this one by Avec Tous.

The Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 lbs shrimp, divided
• ½ lb tasso
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 whole bulb garlic, minced
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 tsp Cajun seasoning, divided, adjust to taste
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese 

The Steps

1. Peel and devein shrimp. Remove the tails from all but a handful, leaving a handful with the tail on. Set aside the shrimp without tails.
2. Season the handful of tail on shrimp with 1 tsp of the Cajun seasoning. Blacken the shrimp in your Stargazer 10.5-inch cast iron skillet on medium/high, flipping periodically to blacken both sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in your skillet. Add the rest of the shrimp and season with the remaining 3 tsp Cajun seasoning. Once cooked through, remove from skillet and set aside.
4. Add the tasso, both bell peppers and garlic to the skillet. Cook on medium heat until bell peppers are soft, about 30 minutes.
5. Pour in the chicken stock and allow to cook for several minutes, reducing by half.
6. Add in heavy cream and stir often until thickened. Reduce heat to low and fold in parmesan.
7. Add the shrimp and any juice from the shrimp back into the skillet with additional Cajun seasoning, to taste.
8. Stir well and keep on low heat until ready to serve.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Serves: 3-4