CRAB-STUFFED SHRIMP with BASIL WHITE WINE CREAM SAUCE

Hi All!  Sorry I've been quiet for so long but you know how it goes when life gets in the way:-)  I am extremely excited about this post because it's been awhile since I've done some serious cooking and this particular dish turned out great.

As usual, I'll give you the back story about my dish.  I spent the 4th of July weekend in Charleston visiting with my cousin Luke and his family.  I always have such a great time just hanging out with them.  During our last visit, we had dinner at a restaurant called "Bubba Gump Shrimp Co."  Whenever I'm in Charleston, my usual go-to dish is Shrimp and Grits; however, I decided to venture off course a little bit and try something different.  I ordered the “I’m Stuffed!” Shrimp, which was basically shrimp with crab stuffing baked in garlic butter and served with jasmine rice.  It was so good that my eyes literally rolled back in my head.  Being a fan of all things culinary, I can't just eat a meal without analyzing it. I looked at it; I felt the texture of it; I smelled it; I savored it; I devoured it and then I said to myself, "Hey, I can make this."

I searched the internet high and low for this recipe only to discover that there were others who were also searching high and low for the same recipe.  I must have looked at 20 or 30 different crab-stuffed shrimp recipes but they all seemed overly complicated so I decided to just wing it and see what I could come up with.  My friends, let me tell you that what I came up with is pretty doggone good.  What I have prepared for you today is Blue Crab-Stuffed Shrimp with a Basil White Wine Cream Sauce, Garlic and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and a side of sauteed vegetables.

Special Notes:  I used two additional items that were not in the photograph of the ingredients and one is actually very important so I apologize for overlooking that.  I used about a tablespoon of mayonnaise and an egg in order to help bind the crab mixture together.  Instead of garlic butter, I made a Basil and White Wine Cream sauce for my stuffed shrimp.  The crab mixture itself was wonderful but the sauce added another level of flavor that was really complimentary.  Lastly, I used large shrimp for this recipe but I would recommend that you use jumbo or even extra jumbo shrimp instead.  You'll get more shrimp and they'll be a lot easier to butterfly.  

Final Thoughts:  As Emeril would say, I "kicked it up a notch" and I am very pleased with the results.   

Ingredients:

1 cup of crab meat

15 extra large or jumbo shrimp, precooked

1/3 cup of bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 egg

1/4 cup of fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped onions
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:

1.   Sauté chopped onions until tender.

2.   In a mixing bowl, combine crab meat, onions, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.

3.   Butterfly the shrimp and set flat side down in a baking pan or dish.

4.   Take approximately 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of crab mixture and roll into a ball about the size of a walnut.  Place the crab "ball" on top of the shrimp.

  

5.   Place pan in 375˚ oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Oops!  Almost forgot about Basil White Wine Cream Sauce.  This was another experimental item.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine in a saucepan.  Add about 1/3 cup of white wine and simmer until reduced by half.  Add about 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon of Basil and simmer until slightly thickened.