Stuffed Shrimp with Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients

Garlic Cream Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stuffed Shrimp and Artichoke:

• 1 artichoke, stem and leaf ends trimmed
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for drizzling shrimp
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Approximately 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 18 large shrimp (about 15 shrimp per pound), peeled but with tails on
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

To prepare the garlic cream sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil with the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the anchovy paste and cook until fragrant. Add the half-and-half and simmer over medium-low heat.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with an equal amount of water and mix well. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Whisk the sauce as it returns to a simmer. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes then check the consistency. Repeat the process if the sauce is too thin. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm over very low heat.

To prepare the artichoke, shrimp, and stuffing: Put the artichoke in a medium saucepan, add about 2 inches of water and a little salt. Cover the pot and steam the artichoke over medium heat until a leaf pulls off easily, about 40 minutes. Allow the artichoke to cool then pull away the leaves and scrape the fibrous 'hair' from the heart. Slice the artichoke heart and reserve.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the bread crumbs, half the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Moisten the stuffing with enough chicken stock so that it holds together. Set the stuffing aside.

Butterfly the shrimp. Remove the veins then lay the shrimp flat, cut-side up. Spoon stuffing into each shrimp. Place the artichokes in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Re-form the shrimp and place them in a snug single layer over the artichokes. Drizzle the shrimp with the melted butter and a little olive oil and bake until they are firm and opaque, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the shrimp and artichoke on appetizer plates then drizzle with garlic cream. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.