Creamy Tarragon Shrimp Toasts

Time: about 45 minutes

Yield: Makes 20 to 22 crostini (serves 8 to 10 as an appetizer)

Ingredients

• 1  cup  mascarpone or soft cream cheese
• 3  tablespoons  finely shredded lemon zest
• 20  to 22 thin slices baguette, cut on the diagonal and lightly toasted
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 1 1/2  pounds  shelled, deveined shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), tails pulled off, rinsed and drained
• 1/4  cup  dry white wine
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt
• Tarragon sprigs

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, mix mascarpone and lemon zest. Spread a thin layer of the mixture on 1 side of each baguette slice and set on a platter (save any leftover cheese mixture for another use).

2. Pour oil into a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant but not beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until beginning to turn pink on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to high, pour in wine, and boil, stirring often, until liquid is almost all evaporated and shrimp are opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, chopped tarragon, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

3. Spoon a couple of shrimp with some sauce onto each toast and sprinkle with sea salt. Garnish each with a tarragon sprig.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per crostini.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

125 (49% from fat)

Protein:

7.1g

Fat:

6.8g (sat 3.6)

Carbohydrate:

8.4g

Fiber:

0.5g

Sodium:

129mg

Cholesterol:

47mg