Did you ever notice that there are certain things you can buy at a restaurant and it just seems to be something you gravitate toward when you go out for a meal? For many people, shrimp is going to be on the menu and that is especially true when there is bacon involved. Red lobster has a fantastic appetizer that is bacon wrapped but now, it is not necessary to go out to eat to enjoy it.
This copycat recipe brings all of the great taste and enjoyment of the bacon wrapped from red lobster to your home. It is the ultimate recipe, because it nails it so perfectly. If you are somebody that craves bacon wrapped shrimp, you owe it to yourself to try this recipe. Try it one time and you will never turn back again.
Ingredients:
For the seasoning:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
10 pieces bacon
10 large shrimp
6 slices fresh jalapeno
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to broil.
Make the seasoning blend by combining the ingredients in a small bowl, then set aside.
Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium/high heat, but don’t cook it all the way, make sure it is a little undercooked and pliable. Drain on paper towels once done.
Shell the shrimp, leaving the last segment of the shell and the tail. Devein the shrimp, then cut down into the back of the shrimp, without cutting all the way through, so that the shrimp is nearly butterflied open (this is to make a pocket for the fillings).
Assemble the appetizer by cutting the jalapeño slices in half and removing the seeds. Place one slice into the slit on the back of each shrimp. Cut an inch-long chunk of cheese (about 1/4 inch thick), and place it on the jalapeño slice.
Wrap a piece of bacon around the shrimp, starting where the cheese is. Start wrapping the thinnest end of the bacon going around the shrimp, then cut off any excess bacon and slide a toothpick through, starting with the end where the cheese is and piercing the cut end of the bacon on the other side.
Repeat with the remaining shrimp, placing onto a baking sheet or broiler pan. Sprinkle a very light coating of the seasoning blend over each shrimp, then broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the bacon begins to brown and the cheese begins to melt.