No plans for New Years Eve? That’s OK, stay in and make this for dinner and ring in the new year at home. Baked shrimp generously stuffed with a delicious blue crab filling all sitting pretty in a champagne cream sauce, every bite is decadent! Perfect for a big party or just dinner for two.
What I like about this recipe is that you can prepare all 3 components in advance. I cleaned and cut my shrimp the night before and placed them in a container in my fridge ready to be stuffed making sure my shrimp was free of all moisture by blotting them with a paper towel.
The filling was also made the night before and placed in a separate container as well as the cream sauce which heats up beautifully when ready to use, I call this stress free cooking!
By cutting the shrimp on the outer circle you’ll create the perfect platform to place your mound of stuffing on top. I used about one tablespoon of filling for each shrimp.You can serve this with a little pasta on the side, something small like orzo or even some rice, I promise you that is all you’ll need because the shrimp and crab are really the stars here just remember to swipe each bite through the champagne sauce!
And be sure to have a glass of your favorite bubbly beside you. Cheers!
To Prepare the Shrimp:
Make sure your shrimp is completely dry with no moisture, padding it with paper towel. Remove shell but leave the tails on. Along the inside of the curve take a sharp knife and cut along the length being careful not to cut all the way through. Take out any vein you see and then open like a book and press lightly to flatten.
Crab Filling:
For 3 lbs. of large shrimp I used a little less than a pound of wild caught, fully cooked, blue fin crab, it comes in a can and it’s pasteurized. Worth every penny!
For the filling my suggestion is to taste and add things as needed to your own personal liking, since the crab is already cooked you’ll have no problem doing that. Here’s what I added, you could use more or less.
2 cloves of smashed garlic
fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of Dijon
Tabasco sauce
celery finely diced, 2 small stalks
onion or scallions finely diced 1/2 of a medium onion or a few scallions
1 1/2 rolls of smashed crackers ( Ritz )
melted butter, 3 0r 4 tablespoons
lemon juice and lemon zest
salt and pepper
Saute the diced celery and onions in 1 tablespoon of butter, then add in everything else, the mixture will hold together nicely and you will be able to mound it on top of your shrimp easily.
Place stuffed shrimp on a parchment lined sheet pan and then spray or baste each one lightly with olive oil or melted butter with a sprinkle of paprika. Bake at 375F for 15 or 20 minutes until pink and the stuffing is warmed through.
After they’re baked set them in a shallow pool of champagne cream sauce and garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.
Champagne Cream Sauce:
1 1/2 cups of white champagne
1 1/2 cups of cream
2 0r 3 shallots diced
Saute shallots in a dab of butter, pour in the champagne, let it reduce and then add cream and whisk until thickened.
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
I don’t drink champagne but aren’t there dry and sweet varieties? What type of champagne should I use for the sauce? Your pictures here and on the website make my mouth drool…and I’ve already eaten tonight! Can’t wait to try this recipe! I’ve eaten these before (slightly different recipe) but not with a sauce. That would make it irresistible for me…lol!!
Dianna, It doesn’t matter what type you use just get something your friends like and trust me it will still be good!
Thank you Marie for all your delicious recipes.
I wish you a Blessed New Year to you and your family.
Looking forward to 2014!
Rosalind LoBuono
Jeanne, Yes you can do it the night before, no problem!
I would love to make this shrimp dish for my sons graduation party, do you think I can prep it all the night before, refrigerate and then bake the next day?
Thanks
JR
Very elegant!
Looks so delicious!! My Ritz cracker box does not have any rolls in it. How many oz or grams would you say I need of Ritz?
Shrimp stuffed with crab – you are killing me with pleasure.
Happy New Year to you and the family!
This really looks so delicious! I would definitely try this one at home! I can’t wait!
Happy New Year Marie!!! What a great idea for a stress-free yet elegant meal. Your shrimp look absolutely delicious!
What a beautiful dish! I love recipes that I can prepare ahead of time, but look magazine quality. I’m IN! Happy New Year!
I’m definitely trying your sauce the next time I make stuffed shrimp. I cut my shrimp as you do, especially when making a bread crumb based stuffing for shrimp appetizers. You can just pick them up and there’s no mess. Happy New Year to one of my favorite bloggers.
is that not heaven on a plate? ohhh that just is fabulous my dear. you make the best dinners.
happy new year!
Is that drool I just wiped off of my keyboard…wink. This really does sound decadent and worthy og any occasion. Have a fabtastic New Years and see you in 2011.
That looks delicious — and definitely worthy of a New Year’s celebration and champagne accompaniment.
Best wishes to you and your family for 2011.
Joan
This dish sounds delicious and it makes a great presentation. The sauce really kicks it up a notch or three.
This looks like a delicious dish containing all my favorite ingredients. Marie!
Happy healthy 2011 to you and your family!
The champagne sauce sounds amazing. We don’t usually eat shrimp – but this sounds too good…
This is decadent and just Lovely, you have such wonderful recipe. Happy New Year
What a pretty dish, Marie. So elegant, yet you make it look so simple.
I’ll join you in a glass of the bubbly to celebrate the new year – all the best to you and your family! And don’t forget to eat some lentils for the new year. 🙂
I am the only champagne drinker in the house so hadn’t bought a bottle yet. Now I can have my bubbly and shrimp, too! The perfect way to ring in 2011: shrimp, crab and champagne. Guarantees a good new year!
Are you kidding me?! These little shrimp look outrageously amazing! I think I’m going to have to add them to my New Year’s menu. Must have these. Happy New Year to you, my good friend, and your wonderful family. May 2011 be a very happy, healthy and delicious year for you all!
You’re talking my language with this dish, Marie. Dungeness crab is at the peak of its season here and I’ve ordered some for tomorrow night. I’m going to save out enough to make these scrumptious looking shrimp.
Happy New Year!
They look so elegant! How delicious!
What a fabulous dish and perfect for New Years Eve. We normally stay home and this would be a wonderful way to ring in the new year – and decadent too.
Happy New Year Marie. I’m looking forward to more of your amazing food in 2011.
Sam
Wow that looks amazing. Makes me want to change my plans and make this instead! Have a wonderful New Year Marie, may 2011 be full of health, happiness and prosperity for you and your loved ones.
This looks amazing! And, you make it sound so easy. No, I just need to learn how not to butcher my lil’ shrimp while deveining them. ha!
Perfect party food Marie. I may have to crack open a bottle just for this recipe.
Hi Marie – perfect for NYE! They sound so elegant. I’ll take your advice on the bubbly. Cheers my friend!
LL
This would be great for a dinner for two…..but I think that will have to wait awhile still. 🙂
Happy New Year!
All I can say is OH YUM!
Perfect New Yrs Eve food w/ the bubbly!
Happy New Year Marie and family!
xo