(Serves 12)
1¼ tblsp Olive Oil
1/3 cup Onion, finely diced
1/3 cup Celery, finely diced
¼ cup Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
3 small button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup fennel bulb, finely diced , (optional)
¼ tsp sage powder
¼ tsp thyme, minced
2 tblsp White Wine or Sherry
20 Ritz Crackers, crushed
1 stick (8 tblsp) Butter, melted
½ lb. Crab meat
½ lb. Shrimp, minced fine
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 oz. mozzerella cheese
1 oz. parmesan cheese
2 tblsp Mayonaise
1 egg
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
juice of ½ lemon
2 tblsp parsley, minced
24 jumbo shrimp (@2lbs 13/15)
Remove the shells from the shrimp and clean. (you can leave the shell-tail section on the shrimp for presentation purposes)
Now butterfly the shrimp on the inner curve, (split the shrimp but don't cut through all the way), arrange in a buttered baking dish/pan/sheet with the shrimps split side down and the tail is up almost over the the shrimp like a scorpions tail. Set aside.(see image)
Pre-heat oven to 450°F
Sauté the onions and celery with olive oil and a dash of salt, 3-5 minutes.
Now, mix everything else together in a small bowl and add the sautéd celery onion mix.
With slightly damp hand mold about 2 tblsp stuffing mixture on top of the butterflied area of the shrimp. (see image) Continue untill all the shrimp are "stuffed".
Bake for 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and/or cocktail sauce or garlic aioli.