Ingredients Seafood Shellfish Shrimp Garlic-and-Paprika Shrimp 4.0 (5,276) Add your rating & review George Mendes creates a rich sauce with shrimp heads, then thickens it with xanthan gum. The alternative here is flavored with shrimp shells and thickened with strained vegetables. More Delicious Shrimp Dishes By George Mendes George Mendes Video Best New Chef George Mendes. Video George Mendes describes what it means to be named a Best New Chef. Born 1972; Danbury, CT. Education The Culinary Institute of America; Hyde Park, NY. Experience Stonehenge Inn, Ridgefield, CT; Tropica, Bouley and Le Zoo, New York City; Lespinasse, Washington, DC; Wallse and Toqueville, New York City. Stages: L'Arpège, Paris; Roger Vergé's Moulin de Mougins, Mougins, France; El Bulli, Roses, Spain; Restaurante Martín Berasategui, Lasarte-Oria, Spain. How he got into food "My mom and dad were farmers in Portugal; they immigrated to the US in 1969. I had a childhood full of home-cooked meals: There was always salt cod soaking in the garage; I still remember that smell. On weekdays we'd have rice dishes. On Sundays we'd have more elaborate meals—roast turkey or pork. The holidays were the biggie; they were crazy, off the hook with food." Pet peeve Cooks who work over garbage cans. "It's so sloppy. And people who feel like they are too good to pick up a broom, they're nothing to me. A kitchen is like an operating room, it should be spotless. On top of that, Aldea is an open kitchen." What keeps him going Water and Gatorade. "I drink a lot of water; Gatorade is a big thirst quencher for me." Favorite piece of cooking equipment His Bonnet stove. "I bought it before I opened Aldea; it sat in storage. When I was still looking for restaurant spaces, I'd sit there and look at a picture of that stove." Memorable Meal A tie between a 1998 meal on the terrace at Le Louis XV, Alain Ducasse's restaurant in Monaco, and a 1994 dinner at the original Daniel on 76th Street in New York City. Fantasy splurge "I'd go to Tokyo in 2021. I think it would be impeccable sushi and really cutting-edge Japanese cuisine, taken to a new level." Favorite wine 1986 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne white Burgundy. Dream restaurant "I'd push a sardine-filled wheelbarrow outfitted with a charcoal grill around Union Square. I'd wear an old man's beret. And I'd do it every day, not just when the farmers' market was on." Food trend he dislikes Burgers. "I love them, but enough already." Favorite cookbook La Riviera d'Alain Ducasse. "It sits on my shelf forever, it's the soul of the Mediterranean and it reminds me of my upbringing. Ducasse took the rusticity and authenticity and somehow refined it." Twitter dream "I wish Ferran Adrià were on Twitter." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 8, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © David Malosh Active Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp—shelled and deveined, shells reserved 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced 2 inner celery ribs, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves—2 smashed, 4 minced Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled 1/4 cup Pernod 1/4 cup brandy 1 teaspoon tomato paste 2 tarragon sprigs 2 parsley sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Directions In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shrimp shells and cook over moderate heat until they turn pink, 3 minutes. Add the onion, fennel, celery, smashed garlic and saffron and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the Pernod and brandy and cook until evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste, add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer until the broth is reduced to 4 cups, 45 minutes. Add the tarragon and parsley sprigs and let stand off the heat for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid, pressing the vegetables to mash them through the sieve. Alternatively, pass the mixture through a food mill. Discard the shrimp shells. Transfer the liquid to a saucepan and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, 30 minutes. Swirl in the butter and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, then sauté over high heat, turning once, until nearly cooked, 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook over low heat until softened and golden, 1 minute. Stir in the paprika. Return the shrimp to the skillet and add the chopped herbs and the lemon juice. Cook for 1 minute longer, until the shrimp are white throughout. Ladle the sauce into bowls and top with the shrimp. Drizzle any garlic oil over the shrimp and serve right away. Suggested Pairing Zippy Vinho Verde. Rate it Print