Potted Shrimp: An English Canape
Potted shrimp makes a great canapé for a party, but also a great snack just waiting in the fridge.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½pound shrimp, peeled, cut into thirds
- ¼cup sliced shallot
- ½teaspoon ground mace
- ½teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1dash freshly grated nutmeg
- 1pinch coarse salt, to taste
- 3tablespoons dry sherry
- 4dashes hot sauce
- 1teaspoon lemon juice, or to taste
Instructions
Step 1
In a heavy skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add shrimp, shallots , and sprinkle with spices. Stir to coat shrimp with butter and spices.Step 2
Cook 1 minute then add sherry and cook until shrimp is just done and most of the sherry has evaporated—about another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.Step 3
Remove from heat and add Tabasco and lemon juice. Process mixture in a food processor until it is finely chopped but not a paste—the texture of coarse sea salt. Taste and adjust seasonings.Step 4
Melt remaining butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, remove skillet from heat and stir in shrimp mixture.Step 5
Pack into a ramekin and if the liquid doesn't come to the top of the shrimp, add a bit more melted butter. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to let flavors meld.Step 6
Allow to warm in an oven heated at 250 F for an hour before serving on crackers or slices of thin toast.Step 7
This will keep three to four weeks refrigerated and can also be frozen. Eat with thin slices of toast or crackers. (We usually use Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White Bread, cut off the crusts, cut it into four pieces, and toast it.)