My mom had this on a recipe card attributed to my great-aunt Vivian, though I’ve never tasted it until now. I barely knew Aunt Vivian because she had Alzheimer’s when I was a kid, so this is a rare glimpse into her life before the diagnosis.

Why “de Jongle?” When I tried googling this, I got a lot of similar-looking results for Shrimp de Jonghe, which was apparently a famous dish from a restaurant in Chicago. Something might have gotten lost in transcription, who knows. But I’m keeping Vivian’s name for the dish as a tribute to her.

Her version of the recipe is designed to serve six or make as hos d’oevres, so I’ve added a scaled-down list of ingredients below to serve 2-3 people as an alternative.

To serve 6 or more at a party (full version):
3 lb. cooked shrimp
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
1 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. dry sherry
3/4 c. fresh chopped parsley

To serve 2-3 people (1/3 of the recipe):
1 lb. cooked shrimp
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. butter (half a stick), room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp thyme
1/3 tsp marjoram
1/3 c. bread crumbs
2.5 tbsp. dry sherry
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley

Mix the garlic, butter, salt, thyme, and marjoram. Add the bread crumbs and sherry and blend well.

In a buttered casserole dish, place alternate layers of shrimp, crumb mix, and chopped parsley. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes and serve with a green salad.