Shrimp Takes It Easy

There is nothing more comforting when entertaining than to have the main course for a dinner completely prepared ahead. It relieves my last-minute jitters and leaves me free to enjoy my friends.

This Louisiana-inspired shrimp dish fits that description. To make it, butterfly large shrimp, leaving their tails intact, and nestle them into a stuffing made with a combination of sourdough bread crumbs, spinach and spicy Louisiana sausage.

The shrimp can be placed in an oven-proof dish with the stuffing hours in advance. All that is necessary to do before baking is to brush the shellfish with a little melted butter and olive oil. The dish needs only 20 minutes in the oven, just long enough to make a mixed green salad to accompany it.

NEW ORLEANS BAKED SHRIMP

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 pound andouille or smoked sausage (such as light kielbasa), cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 cup chopped green onions, including 2 inches green stems

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and coarsely chopped (half of 10-ounce package)

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 cups fresh sourdough or French bread crumbs

1/4 cup chicken stock

Salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound large (20 to 21 count) shrimp, shelled and deveined with tails left on

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add sausage and saute, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add green onions and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and hot pepper sauce; stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in bread crumbs and stock. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spray 10-inch round or similar size oven-to-table baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 filling in pan. Slice shrimp on their undersides to butterfly, leaving tails intact. Arrange shrimp, cut side down, with tails upright over stuffing. Loosely pack remaining stuffing around shrimp to keep them upright. (Dish can be prepared 2 to 3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

When ready to bake, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in small pan to melt butter. If shrimp have been refrigerated, bring to room temperature. Brush butter mixture over shrimp. Bake at 350 degrees until shrimp are pink and bread crumbs are slightly crispy on top, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

233 calories; 400 mg sodium; 54 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.27 gram fiber.