Active Time

　　35 min

　　Total Time

　　7 1/2 hr

　　In the South, you'll usually find this delicate spread — not a smooth paste, but slightly textured, to play up the flavor of the shrimp — on "benne wafers" (sesame-seed crackers). Spooned onto buttery toast points, it makes for tiny little bites with big sea flavor.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 10 (hors d'oeuvre) servings

　　

For shrimp butter

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon black pepper

　　1/4 cup minced onion

　　2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

　　1/8 teaspoon cayenne

　　

For toast points

10 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts discarded and each slice cut to form 4 triangles

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

　　Garnish: whole cooked shrimp

　　

Make shrimp butter:

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shrimp with salt and black pepper, stirring, until just cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a food processor, reserving skillet (do not clean).

　　

Step 2

Cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape onions into processor and cool mixture to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Add lemon juice, cayenne, and remaining 9 tablespoons butter and pulse until shrimp are finely chopped. Pack shrimp butter into a 2-cup ramekin or serving bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 6 hours (to allow flavors to develop). Bring to room temperature 45 minutes before serving.

　　

Make toast points:

Step 3

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 4

Brush 1 side of bread triangles lightly with melted butter and toast, buttered sides up, in a large shallow baking pan until golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve toast points with shrimp butter.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　·Shrimp butter can be chilled up to 2 days.

　　·Toast points can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container.