There are two versions of remoulade. French remoulade means celery root remoulade, a beloved bistro slaw bound in a creamy white mustard-mayo dressing. But in New Orleans, classic remoulade is red and more of a vinaigrette, made with two traditional spices, paprika and cayenne, and balanced with plenty of celery and parsley that provide a fresh, clean crunch. This remoulade is my favorite way to eat chilled, boiled shrimp, crab, or crayfish, but the dressing is also great on crabmeat or on a simple boiled egg, sliced in half and served atop crisp shredded lettuce.

Ingredients

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or shallots

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　2 tablespoons Creole mustard

　　1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

　　1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne

　　Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

　　1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

　　Salt and pepper

　　1 cup olive oil

　　1/4 cup finely chopped celery heart

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion

　　Whisk the onion, garlic, mustard, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, horseradish, and salt and pepper, to taste, together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, then stir in the chopped celery, parsley, and scallion. This dressing will keep for 2–3 days in the refrigerator.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.