Crab Meat Stuffing:
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fine-chopped onions
11/2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces crabmeat, either lump or backfin, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Lobster Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon chicken base (such as Better Than Boullion)
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
Pinch of white pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, fresh-grated nutmeg (nutmeg is optional, but recommended)
4 ounces cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped
11/4 heavy cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
Stuffed Shrimp:
12 extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, with tail on
To make stuffing:
Melt butter in heavy nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onions about 2 minutes, or until soft. Off heat, stir in wine and dry mustard. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Mixture will be moist, but you should be able to shape into patties. Can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated covered for several hours or overnight.
To make sauce:
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots, basil, white wine and chicken base. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, or until wine has just about evaporated. Add tomatoes, seasonings, crabmeat, lobster meat, heavy cream and half-and-half. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. It should be the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated covered for several hours or overnight.
To make stuffed shrimp:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each shrimp down back (where the vein was) to tail but not through it. Open shrimp out to butterfly them. Press each gently so they lie flat. Mound about 3 tablespoons stuffing down each shrimp. Spray a large baking dish with no-stick cooking spray and place shrimp stuffing side up, in a single layer. Bake in center of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until shrimp are just cooked through and stuffing is piping hot.
Meanwhile, if necessary, reheat sauce over low heat. Place 3 stuffed shrimp on each of four warm serving plates and spoon about 1/4 cup sauce over each shrimp. Makes 4 servings.