Crab-Topped Shrimp
Submitted by innuendo1968
Butterflied shrimp topped with a buttery crab, scallion, and hot-sauce stuffing, microwaved fast for an easy two-person seafood dinner. Ready in 30 minutes flat.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minCrab-topped shrimp is the kind of dinner-for-two that feels fancy but leans entirely on the microwave. Butterflied shrimp get fanned open in small casserole dishes, then blanketed with a savory crab stuffing built on sweet claw meat, melted butter, scallion, lemon, and a hit of hot pepper sauce.
Butterflying the shrimp matters for two reasons. First, it gives you a flat platform for the crab mixture to sit on without sliding off. Second, it flattens the thick end so the shrimp cooks evenly, which is what keeps microwaved seafood from turning rubbery.
Draining the liquid halfway through is another step worth taking seriously. Shrimp release a lot of water as they cook, and if you leave it in the dish the topping ends up soupy instead of browned and rich.
Good crab meat is the star here, so spend on lump or claw from a reputable fishmonger. The filling has only five ingredients, and any shortcuts show.
Kitchen Tips
- Pat the crab dry before mixing. Wet crab meat waters down the filling and keeps the breadcrumbs from binding.
- Arrange the thickest parts of the shrimp toward the outside of the dish. Microwaves cook edges faster than centers.
- Let the casseroles rest 2 minutes after the final cook. Carryover heat finishes the shrimp without overcooking them.
- A cover with vented plastic wrap steams the shrimp gently. Don’t skip venting or steam pressure can lift the cover mid-cook.
Variations
- Run the tops under a broiler for 2 minutes after microwaving to get a browned, crisped crust.
- Use jumbo lump crab for a cleaner, sweeter filling if budget allows.
- Swap the bottled hot sauce for Old Bay and a pinch of cayenne for a Chesapeake spin.
Ingredients
Directions
Thaw large shrimp, if fozen.
To shell fresh or thawed shrimp, open each shell lengthwise down the body.
Hold the shrimp in one hand and carefully peel back the shell starting with the head end.
Gently pull on the tail portion of the shell to remove the entire shell.
Butterfly shrimp by cutting down the back almost but not all the way through; remove vein.
Repeat with remaining shrimp.
Set aside. In a small nonmetal bowl, micro-cook sliced green onion and the butter or margarine, uncovered, on 100% power for 1½ to 2 minutes or until the green onion is tender.
Stir in lemon juice and bottled hot pepper sauce.
Toss with the flaked crab meat and fine dry bread crumbs.
Spread shrimp open. Place, cut side up, in two 10-ounce oval casseroles.
Cover with vented clear plastic wrap.
Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power for 1½ minutes, rotating the casseroles a half-turn once.
Drain off liquid and rearrange shrimp, placing the least-cooked portions to the outside of the casseroles.
Spoon crab mixture over shrimp.
Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power about 1½ minutes or until shrimp are done and crab mixture is heated through, rotating Serve with lemon wedges.
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