Love and Olive Oil

Shrimp Rolls with Herb Brown Butter Mayo

Shrimp Rolls with Herb Brown Butter Mayo from www.loveandoliveoil.com

This is a poor-man’s lobster roll. Not that we’re poor, and not that shrimp is really all that cheap, but it’s a heckofa lot cheaper than lobster and much easier to prepare too. So maybe it’s more of a lazy-man’s lobster roll than anything.

Poor and lazy aside, what makes this shrimp roll spectacular is the brown butter mayo, which truly is a revelation. Part mayonnaise, part hollandaise, if hollandaise were cold and made with toasted brown butter instead of just melted. It’s tangy and buttery and speckled with fresh herbs like chives, parsley, and dill.

Shrimp Rolls with Herb Brown Butter Mayo from www.loveandoliveoil.com

I figured, since lobster/shrimp rolls are usually tossed with mayo and drizzled with butter, that making a mayo with some butter mixed in would serve double duty.

I first tried making the mayo with all brown butter, replacing it 1:1 for the oil in a typical mayo recipe. The result, while decadently buttery, was almost too much so. It was missing the zip that mayo brings to the party.

The second try was more of a hybrid, incorporating some oil in addition to the butter to even out the flavor and keep the consistency soft, plus an extra splash of vinegar for kick.

Herb & Brown Butter Homemade Mayonnaise

If you’ve never made homemade mayonnaise before, you’re in for a treat. An arm workout, yes, but a treat nonetheless. And if you’re worried about the mayo breaking, just take some advice from that little blue fish and JUST KEEP WHISKING. Wait, that’s not how it goes, is it? But in all seriousness, whisk like you’ve never whisked before. You can also do this in a food processor, however I found whisking to be more effective since my food processor doesn’t do well with quantities under 1 cup.

Herb & Brown Butter Homemade Mayonnaise

Shrimp Rolls with Herb Brown Butter Mayonnaise

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Ingredients:

For Brown Butter Mayo:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Shrimp Rolls:

  • 1 1/2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 6-8 hot dog buns or potato rolls, buttered and lightly toasted

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally, until solids at the bottom of the skillet begin to turn golden brown. Watch this carefully, as the brown bits can burn if not closely monitored. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup. Let cool to room temperature.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Add shrimp and boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer opaque (slightly longer if using larger shrimp). Drain and chill until completely cool.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice, and vinegar until smooth and light yellow in color. Very slowly drizzle in vegetable oil, a scant teaspoon at a time, whisking vigorously until completely incorporated before adding more. These first minutes are crucial to forming a stable emulsion, so be sure to add the oil in the tiniest of drizzles, even drops at a time.
  4. Once oil is completely incorporated, drizzle in cooled brown butter, whisking vigorously until thick and smooth. Stir in herbs, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in shrimp until evenly coated.
  5. To assemble, split buns (leaving a small hinge) and lightly toast. Spoon shrimp down the center of each roll. Top with additional chives or dill, if desired, and serve at room temperature.
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25 Comments

  1. This was delicious!   We are making it for a second time in two weeks. 

  2. Oh my, these are sooooo tasty!! I am in love with the brown butter mayo.  

  3. Has anyone made this? The mayo was liquid, not as pictured. Is the recipe right? Followed the directions.

    • If the mayo is emulsified properly, just pop it in the fridge and it’ll thicken up nicely. The melted butter makes it slightly thinner at room temperature than normal mayo.

  4. Oh my… that brown butter mayo got me. 

  5. I have Never made homemade mayo.This certainly sounds
    amazing.

  6. This looks amazing! I’ve never made mayo before. Can you make it in advance, like that afternoon then chill for dinner? Or do you need to use it immediately?

  7. These look amazing and the mayo looks fantastic – brown butter?! yum!!

  8. This was absolutely delicious! My first time making mayo AND my first time making shrimp rolls–unqualified success!!

  9. Why. WHY have I never cooked with shrimp? This looks SO GOOD!

  10. Nice looking rolls! Interesting comments about people having problems making mayo in the processor….maybe the tendency is to add the oil too quickly?? Never have had that problem. Yikes…you are right, lobster is way $$ here in Vancouver, great idea to substitute the shrimp!

  11. Sounds amazing! I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida so we have a abundance of fresh shrimp, I think this recipe would be perfect! Thanks for sharing!

  12. Wow. That mayo looks fabulous. I can happily eat it on its own.

  13. OMG—I haven’t had breakfast yet. And THIS is what I want. Totally delicious.

  14. Herb brown butter mayo stopped me in my tracks! By the way, where did you find those delicious looking rolls?

  15. Seriously craving this now!! <3

  16. I want Herb Brown Butter Mayo on EVERYTHING! I am a sauce, condiment, and dip fanatic. I sometimes need a little food to go with my spoonfuls of dip, but not always :) These look awesome & pinned!

  17. Poor man? Hardly! These Shrimp Rolls might put me right over the edge with that brown butter mayo. I’m following your aioli recipe, because I’ve had a curdling problem before too…thanks for the tip, man.

  18. Perfect for the coming weekend.  Blessings, Catherine 

  19. Wow looks amazing! I know whats for dinner tonight…!

  20. I often substitute shrimp for lobster/crab since the real thing is just too darn expensive! I find that since shrimp have a subtle taste, recipes can come out bland. This one looks nice and tasty with those fresh herbs. Thanks for sharing!

  21. That herb brown butter mayo! I can think of a hundred things I’d love to slather that on… These look so flavorful and easy! Pinned for my family:)

  22. Even though your recipes are always brilliant; I am loving that mayo! I fan of whisk too. I have curdled mine in the food processor so many times but it never happens by hand.
    Anyway gorgeous subs!

  23. These look so good Lindsay! And that mayo?! I’m not even a mayo person, but you are totally right–homemade is a million times better. I’ve always had more luck making it in a bowl than the food processor, unless of course it is a MASSIVE quantity which almost never happens. 

  24. This looks great, I always make my own mayo but had never thought of using butter, will try this though now.

    Rosie xx

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