Jalapeo and Crab-Stuffed Shrimp
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 531; Total Fat: 38 g; Saturated Fat: 21 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 20 g; Cholesterol: 216 mg; Sodium: 621 mg
Total time: 1 hour 17 minutes (Prep: 27 minutes; Rest: 20 minutes; Cook: 30 minutes)
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (about 1/4 small), soaked in cold water 5 minutes
- 1 jalapeo, seeded and finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons seafood seasoning (divided; e.g., Old Bay)
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (divided)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (divided)
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
- Zest of 2 limes (divided)
- Juice of 3 limes (divided)
- 1 pint jumbo lump crabmeat, checked for cartilage (about 2 cups)
- 1 pound U-12 or colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on (about 12 shrimp)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- In a medium saut pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter with the olive oil. Add the red onion, jalapeo, and garlic and saut about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning. Add 1 cup panko, half the beaten egg, 2 tablespoons cilantro, juice of 2 limes, zest of 1 lime, and salt and pepper. Stir in the cooled sauted vegetables, then gently fold in the crabmeat, keeping lumps intact.
- Butterfly each shrimp by slicing down the back from the middle to the tail without cutting through. Stuff each with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the crab mixture. Place the stuffed shrimp on a large plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- While the shrimp chills, melt the remaining 1 stick of butter over medium-low heat in a saut pan. Add the remaining 1 cup panko, the remaining lime zest and juice, the last tablespoon seafood seasoning, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Stir to combine.
- Remove the shrimp from the fridge, spoon 12 tablespoons of the seasoned panko mixture over each, arrange on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Tip: Handle the crab gently to preserve jumbo lumps for a prettier, meatier filling.
