Shrimp Christmas Tree Appetizer
This Christmas shrimp recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make, and is a great way to transform regular shrimp into a festive holiday appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag of medium raw peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/8 tsp granulated sugar
- pinch of salt, pepper
- a piece of celery for the stem
Optional Garnishes
- rosemary
- cocktail sauce
- cranberries
- piece of lemon, cut into a star
Instructions
- See TIPS Section below if planning on making the night before. If the shrimp are frozen, properly thaw them. This can be done by placing the frozen bag in the refrigerator overnight, or by placing the bag in a bowl and letting the faucet run cold water into the bowl while the excess water goes down the drain for about 15 minutes. Flip the bag once.
- Rinse the shrimp and devein if veined. Keep the tails on. Pat dry and place in a bowl.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt/pepper and 1/8 tsp of granulated sugar. Toss to coat.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat until fairly hot. Pour in 2 tbsp's of olive oil and let the oil get hot, without smoking.
- Pour the shrimp into the hot pan and cook on one side for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook for about 3 minutes. When done, the shrimp should be opaque.
- Remove the pan from the heat and toss in the butter and lemon juice, stirring until melted and the shrimp are fully coated.
- Once the shrimp have cooled enough to handle, carefully assemble them into a Christmas tree. You will want to have the base of the tree have the most shrimp in a row, and the next row 1 shrimp less, until you reach the top, which should have only 1 shrimp.
- Garnish as you like, and serve! You can also store these cooked shrimp overnight in the fridge covered in plastic wrap.
Notes
Tips:
- To Make Ahead: You can absolutely make this 15 minute holiday appetizer the night before serving! If you don't plan on re-heating the shrimp tomorrow, don't add butter to the pan when cooking the shrimp, as it will gelatinize in the fridge and won't taste very good cold. If you plan on re-heating the shrimp, than you can still use the butter. After you assemble the shrimp into a beautiful Christmas tree on a serving platter, wrap the platter in plastic wrap so no air can get in. Store the shrimp in the refrigerator overnight, and serve them when your guests arrive!
Nutrition
Calories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 0.4gProtein: 0.1gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 0.01gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 176IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.05mg
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