Howard Mitcham said Brennan’s let him publish this recipe in Creole Gumbo and All that Jazz, one of the best books ever written on the food and culture of New Orleans. Mitcham’s wonderful woodcuts accentuate the book’s splendor, and his cartouche of Queen Victoria is one of my favorites.
Place a stick of butter In a large sauté pan and heat. Add a finely diced scallion, a half cup sliced mushrooms, and 2 lbs. raw shrimp peeled and deveined. When shrimp are cooked through, reduce heat and add about two tablespoons of chopped fresh basil, about a quarter cup of dry white wine, and a teaspoon white pepper. In another saucepan, make a white roux with 2 tbsp. butter, 1 tbsp. flour and a quarter cup of hot milk. Add half of this to the shrimp and increase heat until sauce has thickened. Reduce heat and add a little over half a cup of sour cream. Mix well and serve immediately over rice, pasta, or pastry shells.
