Red Lobster Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp

~Nimz~'s Note:

This is so good. It's shrimp, it's bacon, it's cheese; what's not to like. They had this on the menu as an appetizer for a short time at Red Lobster but when we went back the next time they had quit making it. It does take a little time to make this.

• Total Time: 37 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

Seasoning

• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 dash fresh ground pepper
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 dash allspice

Dipping Sauce

• 1⁄3; cup ranch dressing
• ¼ teaspoon dried cilantro
• 5 pieces of thin sliced bacon
• 5 large shrimp
• 3 slices fresh jalapenos
• 1 ounce monterey jack pepper cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Make the seasoning blend by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Set this aside.
3. Make the dipping sauce by combining the ranch dressing with cilantro in a medium bowl.
4. Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium/high heat, but don't cook it all the way to crispy or brown. About 3 minutes per side.
5. When bacon is done drain on paper towels.
6. Shell the shrimp, leaving the last segment of the shell and the tail.
7. Remove the dark vein from the back of the shrimp, and then cut down into the back of the shrimp, without cutting all the way through, so that the shrimp is nearly butterflied open. (This will make a pocket for the pepper and cheese).
8. Pour 1 cup of water into a small bowl.
9. Add the shrimp and jalapeño peppers and microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.
10. Shrimp should be starting to firm up and change color.
11. Immediately pour the water out of the bowl, remove the jalapeño slices and pour cold water over the shrimp.
12. Place the shrimp and jalapeño pepper slices onto paper towels to drain off excess water.
13. Build the appetizer by cutting the jalapeño slices in half and removing the seeds.
14. You should now have 6 jalapeño slices. You'll need 5 of these.
15. Place one slice into the slit on the back of a shrimp.
16. Cut an inch-long chunk of cheese (about 1/4 inch thick), and place it on the jalapeño slice.
17. Wrap a piece of bacon around the shrimp, starting where the cheese is.
18. Start wrapping the thinnest end of the bacon.
19. Go 1 1/2 times around the shrimp and then cut off the excess bacon and slide a skewer through the shrimp, starting with the end where the cheese is and piercing the cut end of the bacon on the other side.
20. Repeat with the remaining shrimp and slide them onto the skewer with the tails facing the same direction.
21. Put the skewer onto a baking sheet or broiler pan and sprinkle a very light coating of the seasoning blend over the shrimp, then broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown and the cheese begins to ooze.
22. Serve over a bed of rice if desired.

Reviews

[Andi of Longmeadow Farm]

Shrimp, bacon, cheese, and jalapeno's? Nimz is right, what is there not to like? A wonderful, delightful, savory appy that just begs you to eat one more. I followed this exactly, except for the dipping sauce I accidentally grabbed the horseradish sauce first, and then when tasting it, that tasted just good too. So I mixed 1 teaspoon of horsey sauce right into the ranch dressing and dipped away. The trick is to only cook the bacon a very short time, wrap soon, and enjoy the taste. I grilled mine on my pancake grill, 2 minutes a side. Added a bit of seasoning again after turning the shrimp, and you will see what piece of heaven you get on a cracker, rice, or a slice of tomato, like I served them here. Thanks Nimz! Made for *Potluck* Tag Game, Fall 2008

[cookiedog]

Wow!!! These are good! I made an error and over cooked the bacon- it crisped up as it sat so I was unable to wrap the shrimp like directed in the recipe. Mine weren't the prettiest- but they sure tasted good.

[mary winecoff]

If I could give this 10 stars I would! My boys were soooo disappointed when they ran out and begged me to make some more. I will make this again very soon! This recipe looks hard but comes together very easily. Thanks!