Heard of butter boards? This new trend has exploded, for many reasons! Imagine a bed of whipped, fluffy butter, possibly infused with fresh aromatics and other ingredients. To really level it up, top with fixings as vast as your taste buds can imagine. And of course, serve with chunks of high quality bread.
Here, I've created a board with cajun shrimp, peppers, green onions, on a bed of herb and spice-infused whipped butter. Full of flavors and textures, it's delicious, and beautiful, too!
Stay tuned for more inventive recipes with butter boards!
Prep Time: 30 minutes Yield: Serves 24+ generously
Ingredients:
Bread: 1 pound of high quality bread, such as focaccia, sourdough, baguette...cut and toasted or untoasted. I prefer toasted baguettes for this recipe. Get inventive with the type of types of bread to pair with the boards!
Butter layer:
1+ pound softened unsalted butter, whipped with 1/2 teaspoon salt, until fluffy and lighter in color.
(I prefer to use a small amount of salt, due to the salt and spice content of the shrimp.)
1/2 cup small dice red pepper. Reserve half (1/4 cup) for garnish.
3/4 cup flat leaf parsley or arugula, chopped. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish.
5-6 green onions, discarding the root end and tough top, finely diced. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish.
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Cajun Shrimp topping:
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest. Reserve 1/2 teaspoon for garnish.
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Garnish:
2 tablespoons remaining parsley or arugula
1/2 teaspoon remaining lemon zest
1/4 cup remaining diced red pepper
2 tablespoons remaining sliced green onion
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
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Method:
Prepare the butter layer. Into the whipped lightly salted butter, stir in the red pepper, parsley or arugula, and green onions. Using a spatula knife or back of a spoon, "paint" a food-safe board with a thick, wavy layer of the butter. Refrigerate while you make the shrimp.
Make the Cajun Shrimp:
Toss and coat the shrimp with the olive oil and all the listed seasonings. Let rest in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes for flavors to absorb and meld. Remove from refrigerator, and let rest on countertop a few minutes before cooking.
Cook the shrimp:
On the stovetop in a sauté pan, over medium heat, for 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer translucent.
OR
In the oven, set to 375 degrees, for 6 minutes on each side.
Remove shrimp from oven and let cool. Cut into quarters.
Assemble the Butter Board:
Remove the butter board from the refrigerator. Top with a large mound of cooled shrimp. Garnish with listed ingredients, finishing with the sesame seeds.
Serve with the prepared bread of your choice!
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