Baked Stuffed Shrimp Italiano

This is one of my all time favourite dishes. You can make the stuffing with lobster or clams, for a change.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, unpeeled
• 1/2 pound coarse bread crunbs
• 1/4 pound salted crackers, crumbled
• 3 ounces crabmeat
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• few drops of Tabasco
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• pinch of dried tarragon
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• paprika
• olive oil
• lemon slices for garnish

Directions

Leave the shell on the shrimp. Remove all tentacles. Lay each shrimp flat on the counter and devein. Slice and spread open butterfly-style.

In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs, crackers, crabmeat, grated cheese, parsley, melted butter, lemon juice, Tabasco, garlic and tarragon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff each shrimp until it is well packed. Place the stuffed shrimp on a cookie sheet, each one nestled into another, in a half-moon curve, so the stuffing will stay secure. Sprinkle with paprika.

Drizzle olive oil lightly over the shrimp. Bake the shrimp in a preheated 400-degree oven on the middle rack for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with plenty of lemon slices.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: The North End Union Italian Cookbook, Marguerite Dimino Buonopane
Submitted By: Jean Trenholm
JTrenholm@email.msn.com
Baked Stuffed Shrimp Italiano