Potted Shrimp with Mace Butter

Brown shrimp warmed in clarified butter with shallot, garlic, mace, cayenne and paprika. Served warm on sourdough toast straight away, or chilled until the butter sets in the old way.

Untested: not yet made in this kitchen. It is here for the Pâtés and Terrines section and is adapted from the source named in the Notes.

Ingredients

• 250 g brown shrimp, cooked and peeled
• 250 g clarified butter
• 3 shallots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground mace
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Flaky sea salt, as needed to season the butter well
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 4 slices sourdough, toasted

Directions

1. Sauté the shallots and garlic in the oil over medium heat, 1 minute. Add the mace, cayenne and paprika and cook 3 minutes more, then add the clarified butter and season well.
2. Off the heat, stir in the shrimp; they should be just warmed through.
3. Divide among 4 ramekins and serve with the toast.

Notes

Source Adapted from Josh Eggleton, “Potted shrimp,” Great British Chefs.

The classic form Traditional Morecambe Bay potted shrimps are chilled until the butter sets over them as a seal, and the seasoning is only mace or nutmeg and cayenne. Eggleton’s garlic, shallot and paprika are his own; to serve it the old way, chill the ramekins until the butter is firm and bring them back to cool room temperature.

The Pâtés and Terrines section’s Rillettes and Potted Meats page (/pates-and-terrines/rillettes-and-potted/) covers the history and technique behind this dish.

The photo The photograph shows traditional Morecambe Bay potted shrimps, set in butter.