Shrimp Monterey

Shrimp thawing before peeling

I'm sorting through my notebook of collected recipes lately.  A chronic recipe clipper, I clip yet don't always actually make the recipes I clip.

In this notebook I have hundreds of recipes from here and there, collected over many years.  My goal is to make every one of them, and while doing so, weed out the ones that we don't like.  Translation:  make space to put more recipes in there.

So, with son Caleb away at work last evening, I decided to fancy it up a bit for the two of us.  An old clipping from who knows where for Shrimp Monterey was on our menu.

I had made sure during our last grocery run to collect all the required ingredients:

2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

The directions for this elegant dish are fairly simple, and it doesn't take more than a half hour to prepare this dish:

1.  Peel the shrimp if not already peeled.  Since I had bought my shrimp frozen and unpeeled, I took care of this business first.

2.  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then saute the garlic in the melted butter for about one minute.

3.  Add the shrimp to the mix and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it is pink.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a greased 11 by 7 inch baking dish.  Set aside.

4.  Add wine or broth to the skillet and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced.  

Note:  The last time I made this recipe I used chicken broth.  This time I used white wine.  It tasted better this time.  Just sayin'.

5.  Pour the sauce over the shrimp.  Top with the shredded cheese and minced parsley.

6.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This casserole makes about 6 adult servings and would be appropriate for when you want to impress some company, as long as there are no shellfish allergies of course.  I was pleasantly surprised at how fast it could be prepared. 

For good color and balance on the plate, I served it with peas, even though I detest peas and couldn't eat them, and a watermelon/cantaloupe salad.

Try it.  And let me know if you liked it.

Bon appetit!