Creamy Shrimp Casserole With Buttery Crumbs

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 lbs medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons melted
• 6 medium scallions, and tender green parts, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• fresh ground pepper
• hot sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste
• 4 cups small oyster crackers
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet hungarian paprika or 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Recipe

• 1 butter a 3 1/2-quart casserole dish. arrange shrimp in a single layer. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• 2 in a medium saucepan, combine cream, sherry and shrimp shells with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. simmer on low for 25 minutes. remove from stove and strain through a coarse sieve set over a large glass measuring cup or bowl; should yield about 2 1/2 cups.
• 3 preheat the oven to 400°f.
• 4 melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. add scallions and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes. add the shrimp cream to the skillet and simmer until reduced (2 cups, about 5 minutes).
• 5 pour the cream sauce into a bowl and stir in lemon juice and worcestershire. season with salt, pepper and hot sauce or cayenne; let cool until tepid. season shrimp with salt and pepper and pour cream sauce over them.
• 6 crush oyster crackers until you achieve coarse crumbs. place in a medium bowl and add 4 tablespoons of melted butter and paprika and stir to coat. sprinkle cracker crumbs over the shrimp and pat to smooth.
• 7 bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until bubbling around the edge and the shrimp are just cooked through.
• 8 remove from the oven and preheat broiler.
• 9 broil casserole for 30 seconds, rotating, until top is an even golden browned.
• 10 let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.