Creamy Shrimp Casserole With Buttery Crumbs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup dry sherry
salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons melted
6 medium scallions, white and tender green parts, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
fresh ground pepper
hot sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste
4 cups small oyster crackers
1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika or 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preparation

Butter a 3 1/2-quart casserole dish. Arrange shrimp in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
In a medium saucepan, combine cream, sherry and shrimp shells with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 25 minutes. Remove from stove and strain through a coarse sieve set over a large glass measuring cup or bowl; should yield about 2 1/2 cups.
Preheat the oven to 400\u00b0F.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. Add scallions and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp cream to the skillet and simmer until reduced (2 cups, about 5 minutes).
Pour the cream sauce into a bowl and stir in lemon juice and Worcestershire. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce or cayenne; let cool until tepid. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and pour cream sauce over them.
Crush oyster crackers until you achieve coarse crumbs. Place in a medium bowl and add 4 tablespoons of melted butter and paprika and stir to coat. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over the shrimp and pat to smooth.
Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until bubbling around the edge and the shrimp are JUST cooked through.
Remove from the oven and preheat broiler.
Broil casserole for 30 seconds, rotating, until top is an even golden browned.
Let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.