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Morecambe Bay potted shrimps
Brown shrimps set in spiced butter
On the wide sands of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire, tiny brown shrimps have been caught by tractor and horse-drawn nets for centuries, boiled on the boats and picked by hand. Potted in butter flavoured with mace, nutmeg and cayenne, they are a classic English starter, served with hot toast so the butter melts. Buy shrimps ready cooked and peeled. Chef's tip: warm the shrimps in the butter only briefly; boiling them makes them tough and rubbery.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp ground mace
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 slices hot toastto serve
- 4 lemon wedges (optional)to serve
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt the 5 ½ oz unsalted butter over a low heat, let it settle, then spoon off any white foam.
5 minStep 2: Stir in the ¼ tsp ground mace, 1 pinch grated nutmeg, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 1 pinch salt and 1 tsp lemon juice. Add the 7 oz cooked peeled brown shrimps and warm them through for 2 minutes without letting the butter bubble.
3 minStep 3: Divide the shrimps between 4 small ramekins and pour over enough butter to cover them. A common mistake is leaving shrimps poking out, which dry in the fridge.
3 minStep 4: Chill for at least 3 hours until set. Keep in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
180 minStep 5: Take out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving and eat with hot 4 slices hot toast and 4 lemon wedges.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does morecambe Bay potted shrimps take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of ground mace?
- Ground nutmeg, same amount (a little stronger).
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