Elegant Butterflied Shrimp in Liqueur
If you find the orange liqueur flavor too strong, replace ½ cup of liqueur with ½ cup of orange juice.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4–6
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup cream
- 1 pound fresh asparagus spears
- 1 cup orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
- 24 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup fresh baby dill
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup cayenne pepper
Smash and peel the garlic. Trim the ends off the asparagus, cook in boiling salted water until tender, and drain thoroughly. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
Rinse the shrimp in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
To butterfly the shrimp, make an incision lengthwise down the back. Cut down as deeply as possible without cutting right through the shrimp. Halfway down the back, make two parallel cuts on the left and right of the incision. Flatten down the four quarters as much as possible. Place the butterflied shrimp on a large serving platter with the asparagus pieces.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. Add the garlic and cook on low heat in the melting butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream. Carefully add the orange liqueur to the warmed cream. Stir in the nutmeg, baby dill, and the cayenne pepper.
Transfer the dish to a fondue pot and set on the burner at the table.
Use dipping forks to spear the shrimp and cook in the fondue until they change color. Eat with the asparagus (if desired, the asparagus can be dipped briefly into the fondue).
