Hot Bacon Shrimp
Near as I can tell, this dish infiltrated New Orleans from the West Coast, where it had become popular in a wide variety of restaurants. Its goodness owes much to the quality of the shrimp we have in New Orleans, but it's a great party dish: big shrimp butterflied and stuffed with a mixture of mozzarella cheese and jalapeno chips, wrapped in bacon, and broiled till the bacon is crispy. Make dozens of these: once people start eating them, they won't be able to stop.
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Hot bacon skewer is found in this group, showing off how versatile the idea is.[/caption]
- 24 large (16-21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese
- 2 chopped jalapeno peppers
- 12 slices bacon, cooked until browned but not crisp
1. Wash the shrimp and pat them dry. Butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tail section intact.
2. Cut the cheese into pieces a little smaller than the shrimp. Cut each piece of bacon in half.
3. Fill the center of each shrimp with about 1/4 tsp. chopped jalapeno. Place a piece of cheese in the center. Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon, and secure with a toothpick.
4. Place the shrimp on a baking pan or pizza pan and broil until they turn pink. Turn the shrimp and return to the broiler until the cheese begins to melt. Serve immediately.
Makes twenty-four.
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