Scrumptious Stuffed Shrimp

I was doing some research in a cook book of mine, and came across a recipe for butterflied shrimp. The recipe was for parsley butter stuffed into the shrimp. Boring! I decided to kick it up a notch (ok- maybe 10) to make a great appetizer for Father's Day using some ingredients I had in my fridge and pantry.

Chorizo Stuffed Shrimp (dark one above):
6 Large Gulf Shrimp
1/2 link Chorizo sausage
3 oz Grated Fontina Cheese
Bread crumbs

To prepare the shrimp, slice along the back of the shrimp 2/3 of the way down to remove the shell and legs, leaving the tail. Using cooking scissors make this really easy and quick! Remove the vein and lightly wash the shrimp in warm water. Once all the shrimp are prepped, take a serrated knife and cut the shrimp almost in half, leaving a little bit to hold it together and open. This is called "butterflying". Next, dice the chorizo sausage and mix with the Fontina cheese. Stuff small amounts of this mixture into the butterflied shrimp and place in a baking pan. Lightly sprinkle the tops of shrimp with breadcrumbs to give them a little crunch!

Crab Stuffed Shrimp (light one above):
6 Large Gulf Shrimp
1 can Fancy Lump Crab Meat
3 oz. Grated Fontina Cheese
Bread crumbs

Prepare the same as above, substituting crab meat for chorizo. Add to the same pan, top with breadcrumbs, and broil all the shrimp in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are a golden brown. Serve with spicy and cilantro lime aioli (recipes follow).

Aioli, by definition, is a garlic mayonnaise. It is also one of the most versatile sauces to add to any meal. Real chefs make the mayonnaise from scratch - eggs and oil- but I use store bought low fat mayonnaise and just add ingredients. It makes it quick and easy!

For my spicy aioli, take 4 Tbsp of mayonnaise, add 1 clove minced garlic, 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, and salt to taste. For my cilantro lime aioli, take 4 Tbsp of mayonnaise, add 1 clove of minced garlic, 2 Tbsp cilantro, 1 Tbsp lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix ingredients and serve.