A dish of flavorful Gulf shrimp stuffed with artichokes, shallots, cream cheese, garlic, and seasonings, is perfect for the New Year. There’s a vegan option too!

My daughter Amie requests this dish for birthdays and holidays. She absolutely loves it, as does the rest of the family. With a side of Caesar salad, she is content with her favorite meal.

When you need a break from rich!

This is also a lovely dish to make after holiday indulgences. This year, we had more gatherings, house guests, and special meals than usual, and I made this shrimp dish for our nuclear family’s Christmas dinner. It was a welcome relief from some of the heavier meals. It still feels decadent, and can be prepared hours ahead of time and popped in the oven for final cooking when everyone is ready.

Look for the really large shrimp that are about 20 to a pound, and always ask for wild! The shrimp I generally use a from the Gulf, have tons of flavor, and are deliciously tender if not overcooked.

Frozen or canned artichokes will do nicely

Artichoke season in Vermont lasts about a day, so this is best made with frozen artichokes, which are remarkably flavorful. You can also substitute canned artichokes in this recipe.

This stuffing works great with large mushrooms as well! I made this recently with 20 shrimp and 10 stuffing mushrooms, just for variety. But with a few swaps, this can become vegan as well.

Amie’s Artichoke Stuffed Baked Shrimp

Makes 30 stuffed shrimp or mushrooms, or combination

30 Colossal Gulf shrimp: raw, peeled, deveined, and butterflied OR

       substitute 30 stuffing mushrooms

1 shallot, finely minced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dried, fine whole-wheat breadcrumbs

4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened

1 egg or two egg whites

1 tbsp. fresh tarragon, minced

1 box frozen artichoke hearts, drained, diced

Paprika

A little grated Parmesan to top

Lemon wedges

Peel and devein the shrimp using kitchen shears; leave the little end tail piece on. To butterfly, cut halfway through the shrimp so that it will lie kind of flat, and press. Set aside on a baking dish rubbed with oil.

In a small saucepan, sauté the shallot in the olive oil for a couple of minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Place this mixture in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, cream cheese, egg, tarragon, and some salt & pepper. Mix well. Fold in the artichokes.

The stuffing comes together quickly.

You can make ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Place stuffing on the shrimp using a tablespoon or small ice-cream scoop to form into walnut-sized balls. Sprinkle with paprika, a little Parmesan, and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. You can stop here, cover, and refrigerate for hours, so they will be ready for the hungry when the hungry are ready for them.

Bake at 450 for about 12 to 15 minutes, until shrimp are just cooked and tops are browned.

Spritz with a little lemon juice.

Delicious served with a side of Caesar salad.

A Vegan Option

These taste every bit as good as the stuffed shrimp!

º Use mushrooms rather than shrimp, of course. Just pull out the stems before filling. Look for mushrooms that will hold about a walnut of stuffing.

º Substitute vegan mayonnaise for the cream cheese and egg, enough to look creamy and hold everything together.

º Sprinkle with nutritional yeast to substitute for the Parmesan, or just omit the cheese.

 © Copyright 2019 – or current year, The New Vintage Kitchen. Unattributed use of this material is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to The New Vintage Kitchen, with  active link and direction to this original post.

The New Vintage Kitchen does not accept ads or payment for mention of products or businesses.

Member of Slow Food: