BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP

Make this tasty appetizer for your family or friends. The addition of a thin jalapeño strip add a little kick but you can definitely leave it out. The bacon and the garlic infused melted butter are super delicious.

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, butterflied, and tails left on
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and cut into 12 thin strips, optional

6 bacon slices, I used applewood bacon

6 T unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce

12 toothpicks, soaked in water for a couple of hours

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the shrimp and jalapeño and set aside.

Place bacon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and fitted with a rack and bake in the oven for 6 to 7 minutes, just to partially cook, render some of the fat, but not crisp up.

Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
When cool, cut bacon in half, crosswise.

Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt on the stove.
Add the pressed garlic and a couple of dashes of hot sauce, if desired.
Season with salt and pepper and very slowly simmer for 30 seconds to infuse the garlic.

Turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees F.

Open shrimp and place a strip of jalapeño inside and then wrap a half bacon strip around shrimp and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

Place on the same baking sheet lined with foil and fitted with a rack and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until bacon is brown and crisp.

Serves 4