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Copycat Pappadeaux's Alexander Sauce
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- #2281
Pappadeaux serves this creamy white wine Alexander sauce over mahi mahi but it works great over any fish or even steak.
serves/makes:
ready in:
under 30 minutes
under 30 minutes
18 reviews
2 comments
ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup clam juice
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup raw small shrimp
5 ounces white lump crab meat
directions
Melt half the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the butter and onion with the flour and quickly stir it to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
While stirring, slowly add the clam juice and whipping cream. Mix well. Add the salt, white pepper, and cayenne if using. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Reduce the heat to low.
In a skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the crab meat and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked.
Add the shrimp, crab, and butter to the cream sauce. Mix well.
Serve the Alexander sauce immediately.
recipe tips
For added flavor, try adding a splash of white wine in the sauce.
To prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy, whisk continuously while adding the clam juice and cream.
Serve over grilled or baked fish, pasta, or steak. Anywhere a creamy seafood sauce works.
For a spicier sauce, increase the amount of cayenne pepper.
If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little more clam juice or broth.
Try adding a teaspoon of garlic or shallots for extra flavor.
To make sure the seafood is not overcooked, add it to the sauce just before serving.
Try serving with a side of crusty bread to soak up the tasty sauce.
Always taste and adjust the seasoning before serving, as the flavors may intensify during cooking.
common recipe questions
Can I use a different type of seafood?
Yes, you can use other types of seafood like scallops or lobster, but it may change the texture or flavor of the sauce.
What can I use instead of clam juice?
Fish stock or vegetable broth can be used as substitutes. Clam juice adds a bold, seafood flavor to the sauce.
Is there a substitute for whipping cream?
Heavy cream can be used, but for a lighter version, half-and-half or a milk and cream mixture can be substituted. The sauce may not be as creamy.
Can I make this sauce without butter?
Butter is essential for the flavor, but you can use margarine as a substitute.
What can I use instead of white pepper?
Black pepper can be used, though it will change the flavor slightly and add a flecked look to the sauce.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat. Over cooking will make the seafood rubbery or tough.
Can this sauce be frozen?
Freezing is not recommended as it will affect the texture and consistency of the sauce.
tools needed
Large Saucepan: To melt butter, cook onions, and create the creamy sauce base for the Alexander sauce.
Skillet: To cook the shrimp and crab meat separately before adding them to the sauce.
Whisk: Used to smoothly combine the flour with the butter and onions, as well as to mix in the clam juice and whipping cream.
Stirring Spoon: Helpful for stirring the sauce constantly to prevent any burning or sticking.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring ingredients such as flour, clam juice, and seasonings.
Knife: To chop the onion before cooking it in the saucepan.
Small Bowls: For holding prepped ingredients before adding them to the sauce, such as the chopped onion.
what goes with it?
Grilled Fish: drizzle this creamy sauce over a perfectly grilled piece of fish. The richness of the sauce pairs beautifully with the smoky flavors from the grill.
Seared Scallops: spoon this sauce over seared scallops for a luxurious seafood dish. The creamy texture of the sauce will enhance the delicate sweetness of the scallops.
Creamy Risotto: serve this Alexander sauce over a creamy risotto for a twist on a classic dish. The richness of the sauce will take the creamy risotto to the next level.
Lobster Mac and Cheese: stir in this Alexander sauce with your favorite mac and cheese recipe for an indulgent treat.
Filet Mignon: drizzle this creamy sauce over a perfectly cooked filet mignon. The richness of the sauce will add a new dimension to the savory flavors of the steak.
nutrition data
453 calories, 42 grams fat, 5 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein per serving. This recipe is low in carbs.
Please note:
This is a copy cat recipe submitted to CDKitchen by a third-party. This recipe is not an original recipe unless specifically stated and is considered only to be an acceptable "clone" to the original for the home cook to attempt to duplicate. Please also note that many nationwide restaurant chains vary their menus and ingredients by region so the version provided may not be similar to what you may have tried before. All trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners.
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Not to be confused with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk is very sweet (and very sticky) and used primarily in desserts.
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reviews & comments
November 16, 2021
Ok so this sauce is good but with a few additions it truly will meet pappas standards. 1, You need to add "blackened spice" this will change the color to a darker reddish color like pappadeaux and give it better authentic flavor. 2, Use shrimp stock NOT clam juice. Last but least add your fav white cooking wine, voila!
August 21, 2020
very good and rich. So close to authentic taste of Papadeaux's... if i just closed my eyes.
July 28, 2019
Just made this and it was delicious. The only thing I did different was sautéed all colored bell peppers with my onions. It was very good and easy to make and I put it over blackened red fish. My husband said it was better than pappadeaux and thatâs his favorite.
May 13, 2019
I tried this recipe and it was a hit with some friends. The detail I noticed different from pappadeaux was this recipe turned out white in color and the restaurant looked brownish in color. I donât know what caused the difference.
April 22, 2019
I just tried this recipe and it was delicious! The only change I made was adding 8ozâs if crabmeat cuz I didnât want to leave any leftover when it only called for 5ozâs! Iâm glad I did it made it more thicker and you could almost eat it alone! I will try the white wine addition next time that sounded delicious also!
February 25, 2019
Easy & good but felt like something was missing. I shouldâve read the comments to get the wine tip; next time!
January 18, 2019
Sooooooooo good I added some old bay Tonyâs creole and some slap ya mama to it also added some white dry wine itâs better than Papadeaux even without everything I added it was great Iâm definitely gonna add this to maybe things to cool frequently itâs a little pricey but so worth it
July 11, 2018
We loved it! Making it again tonight!!
October 18, 2016
I used broth instead of clam juice because I had everything else on hand and didn't want to go buy clam juice. I actually just served this over rice but next time I'll try pasta.
July 9, 2016
I made the sauce with no changes, it turned out tasting great. Well make it again.
November 24, 2014
Pappadeaux is our go to place when we are in the city of Atlanta. The Alexander sauce is great on top of baked snapper. We also add 1 tbl of cream sherry to the sauce before topping the snapper. We also substitute crawfish for the crab most of the time. The crab seems to get lost in this sauce.
August 27, 2014
This sauce is so delicious. I have made it twice & have poured it over lobster, have added lobster to it & ate it as a soup, also have poured it over baked tilapia. Very good! I highly recommend this recipe.
December 11, 2013
The recipe calls for no clam sauce. I used to work there, this is HARDLY the recipe
June 25, 2013
Expensive to make but good for a special occasions
September 19, 2011
This recipe was very simple to make. I bought blue crab claw meat and shrimp while in Louisiana visiting family so I was ready for this one. I did change the recipe a bit though. I left out the heavy cream and added 1 cup instead if half cup of clam juice. I used half cup of shrimp and 1 cup of crab claw meat. I served this over catfish. My wife enjoyed it. Delicious!
April 15, 2011
I thought this recipe was great! Super easy to make the only prepping is chopping the onion. I made a couple changes we added 1 cup of crawfish tails and added about 1 tbs of sugar to make it a little sweeter It was way better than what we get from Papadeaux's and the kids loved it!
Pappadeaux's Alexander sauce has crawfish, shrimp and scallops, no crabmeat, although that sounds good too! They have 3 basic sauces and they're all good. Thanks for sharing.
January 25, 2010
I add some Old Bay, Dry Sherry, and a bit of tobasco. That seems to kick it up a step
Tastes good, but I worked in the kitchen of a Deaux for 4 years and you are missing some things... good sauce but not the Alex Sauce you are claimimg it to be.
Don't just give a negative review, offer some helpful suggestions like, what was missing?
April 6, 2008
Good Job. As a former worker at the restauraunt, you have copied the texture and the taste quite remarkably. Add a bit of a dry white wine to it and it's almost there!