Delcambre Shrimp Festival

Delcambre Shrimp Festival honors the shrimping industry with events including a Shrimp Cook-off, queens pageants’, fais-do-do’s, carnival

The Town of Delcambre, Louisiana, located about 20 miles southwest of Lafayette, is home to one of the area’s most productive shrimp fleets. The town devotes an entire weekend to honor this economic lifeblood. Events include a shrimp cook-off, queens pageants, fais-do-do’s, food booths, carnival rides, and the blessing of the shrimp boat fleet. There’s plenty of fun for “kids” of all ages and lots to see, hear, and EAT!

The Delcambre Shrimp Festival is home to one of the best 5-day festivals in South Louisiana. The festival has gained it’s popularity by providing a variety of delicious dishes and top notch entertainment including National Recording Artists. Enjoy signature shrimp dishes like boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, shrimp sauce piquante, shrimp salad and many more. Each and every shrimp dish consumed at the festival is prepared by volunteer members of the festival association. If you’re not in the mood for shrimp, the festival also offers a variety of other “festival” foods, cold beer, cold drinks and water. Souvenirs, t-shirts, hats, posters, etc…

Cajun Boil Shrimp:

3 (3-ounce) Louisiana or Zatarain’s brand seafood-boil seasoning pouches
¼ cup cayenne-pepper powder
1 ½ cups kosher salt (or 2/3 cup fine sea salt)
2 yellow onions, peeled and halved through root
3 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 lemons, quartered
4 heads garlic
6 ears corn, shucked and cut into 3-inch pieces
2 ½ pounds small (2-inch) red potatoes
2 12-ounce kielbasi, cut into 3-inch pieces
6 pounds shrimp, preferably with shells on

Directions:

Fill a very large (24-quart) pot with 8 quarts of water set over high heat. Add seasoning pouches, cayenne, salt, onions and celery. Squeeze lemon juice, and add wedges. Break garlic into cloves, and discard excess skin, then add unpeeled cloves. Cover the pot, and bring to a rolling boil.
Lay corn on a baking sheet in a single layer, then place in freezer.
Taste the water after it comes to a boil. It should be very heavily salted and spiced, with a bright orange foam (when standing near the boiling pot causes you to cough, it’s spicy enough).
Add potatoes and sausage to the pot, and let the water return to a boil. Turn off heat, and allow to soak for 10 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Bring the water to a boil, and add shrimp. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn off heat, add corn and allow to soak for 7 minutes. Drain, and serve immediately with rémoulade (preferably on a newspaper-lined table).