Where it comes from
Dombrés are the small hand-rolled flour dumplings of the French Antilles, dropped into a Creole sauce to simmer with shrimp, salt cod or pork. Chewy and humble, they soak up the spiced, tomatoey broth around them.
On the plate
Spoon up dombrés aux crevettes and the chewy little dumplings have soaked up the spiced tomato sauce, plump shrimp scattered through. Bite: the dombrés are dense and satisfyingly chewy (like a savory gnocchi), the sauce tomato-rich and Creole-spiced, the shrimp sweet and tender, lime brightening it. A hearty, homely Guadeloupean one-pot.
How it works
A stiff flour-and-water dough rolled into small dumplings simmers in the sauce, releasing a little starch to thicken it while staying chewy. The shrimp are added late to stay tender; the Creole tomato sauce and lime carry the island flavor.
Variations
With salt cod or pork. With red beans (dombrés aux haricots rouges). Spicier. With conch. With coconut milk. Soupier.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓40 min active · 35 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 122 min
Make a stiff dough from 300 g flour, water, and salt; rest 20 min.
- 210 min
Roll small pieces into little oval dumplings (dombrés) between your palms.
- 34 min
Season 400 g shrimp with lime, garlic, and a little scotch bonnet.
- 46 min
Fry 1 chopped onion, garlic, and spring onion in oil; add 3 chopped tomatoes and thyme.
- 53 min
Add water to make a sauce and bring to a simmer.
- 616 min
Drop the dombrés into the sauce and simmer 15 min until they float and cook through.
- 76 min
Add the shrimp and simmer 5 min more until pink.
- 82 min
Finish with lime and serve.
