Stuffed Shrimp With Crabmeat Recipe

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 40 min

Prep: 1 hr
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 25 min

Yield: 4 entree or 8 appetizer servings

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1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

1/2 cup minced yellow onions

1/4 cup minced celery

1/4 minced green bell peppers

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 1/2 cups crushed buttery, flaky crackers

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

20 jumbo shrimp (about 2 pounds), shelled, leaving tail and connecting shell segment, deveined, and butterflied lengthwise

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 pound kale, chiffonade

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley, garnish

1 lemon, cut into wedges, garnish

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish and set aside.
Place the crabmeat in a large bowl and season with the Essence. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the parsley and the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
Add the cooled vegetables to the crabmeat and toss to combine. Add the mayonnaise, egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir gently with a large wooden spoon. Add 1 cup of the cracker crumbs, the salt, and pepper, and stir gently, being careful not to break up the crabmeat.
Mound about 2 tablespoons of the crabmeat stuffing into each shrimp, press gently to close, and place, stuffed sides up, in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the flaky, buttery cracker crumbs over the stuffed shrimp and drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
While the shrimp are baking, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. Add the kale and saute until the kale is just wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the kale on 4 plates. Remove the shrimp from the oven and divide among plates, on top of the kale. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

Yield: About 2/3 cup

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Recipe from Emeril Lagasse