I'm not a football fan. I come from a bookish, non-athletic family and football was not part of my upbringing. My idea of watching a game is sitting by my husband's side while he watches and occasionally looking up from the computer or my book, usually to ask some question about what's happening that clearly indicates just how little I know about the game. I'm the sort of person who watches the Super Bowl for the commercials and is more interested in who the half-time entertainment is than which teams are playing.
My best Superbowl ever was the one some years ago when Comedy Central ran an Absolutely Fabulous marathon. Mike watched the game in one room and I watched Absolutely Fabulous in another. When a commercial came on, Mike would yell, "Commercial!" and I'd flip to the Superbowl station. As soon as the game came back on, I'd flip back to Absolutely Fabulous.
But despite my lack of interest in football, I get caught up in the Superbowl excitement. It's an event, and every year it seems to be more of a food occasion. Tonight Mike will be cooking, but if he weren't, this is one of the things I'd make. They're delicious, fast and easy to make, and it's a well known fact that everything is better with bacon.
Shrimp Wrapped with Bacon
Shrimp (I think 21-25 per pound is a good size for this)
Bacon
Horseradish
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco
Toothpicks
The amounts for this will depend on the quantity you wish to make. For every 2 shrimp you will need 1 strip of bacon, 1 teaspoon of horseradish, three drops of Worcestershire sauce, and a drop or two of Tabasco. Multiply according to the number you wish to make.
1. Cut bacon strips in half and cook slowly over low heat. Your aim here is to partially cook the bacon.
2. Mix the horseradish with the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Taste. You want it to be lively. If you what you're tasting doesn't seem lively enough, add a little more Tabasco.
3. On a broiler pan with a rack, lay out the strips of bacon, and place a shrimp on each one. Place a scant 1/2 teaspoon of the horseradish mixture on each piece of shrimp. Cover with the bacon and secure the bacon with a toothpick.
4. Run under the broiler. How long will depend on how hot your broiler is, and how close the pan is to the heating element. Mine is less than three inches under the broiler and needed about 90 seconds on each side. If yours is farther, you'll need longer. Cook until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp is cooked.
Notes: You want to be careful not to overcook the shrimp. If you use larger or smaller pieces of shrimp, you'll need to adjust the time. Also, if you use a smaller size of shrimp, you may find that cutting the bacon in thirds works better.
i'm not a football person, either, but my hubs similarly likes it, so i suffer through. i made pomegranate chipotle glazed shrimp (and some other fun stuff) that helped me through it a little bit! these shrimp look like a good reason to put down the laptop :)
Posted by: Heather | February 01, 2009 at 07:03 PM
AbFab and shrimp on Super Bowl Sunday sounds perfect to me, too.
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | February 01, 2009 at 07:36 PM
Wow! Shrimp, bacon, horseradish, I am so on this one!! Sounds absolutely fantastic!!
Posted by: donna | February 01, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Football is not popular here in Brazil - soccer is - and I think my hubby would love having these over a game, sweetie!
Posted by: Patricia Scarpin | February 02, 2009 at 07:39 AM
I am so sports-ignorant that when someone says "Superbowl," it takes me a minute to remember which sport they're talking about.
But I agree, any occasion that's an excuse for bacon is a good occasion. :)
Posted by: adele | February 02, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Hello Delicious Food! You can visit me in my belly now... Jules- have you picked a dish??
Posted by: Elizabeth | February 02, 2009 at 12:14 PM
I made shrimp, too. Got the recipe, steamer and pot from the chefs. took it all to kit's.
Posted by: pigtown*design | February 02, 2009 at 07:42 PM
This is a great idea, shrimp wrapped with bacon!
Posted by: Selba | February 03, 2009 at 12:24 AM
I just like Superbowl food ;-)
Your bacon wrapped shrimp looks delicious!
Posted by: Just a Plane Ride Away | February 04, 2009 at 09:00 AM
Oh mammy...give me a dozen of these and call it dinner!
Posted by: Peter | February 04, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Oh god yes. Anything wrapped in bacon!!! I love scallops in bacon and dates in bacon too. Your pictures are great!
Posted by: Katy | February 04, 2009 at 10:31 PM
shrimp wrapped bacon
scallop wrapped bacon
mussels and bacon
lobster and bacon (?)
seafood and bacon are perfection together... yes, a dozen and they're dinner. that'd be a very good night.
Posted by: claudia (cook eat FRET) | February 05, 2009 at 09:26 PM
This is such a great twist on the traditional scallops wrapped in bacon...a favorite. I have developed a shellfish allergy in the past several years, so scallops are out (tragedy), but I can still eat a little shrimp! Yum!
Posted by: Janet | February 06, 2009 at 11:50 PM
The thing is... shrimp are practically perfect on their own. But you wrapped them in BACON and now they look even better! I'm impressed... and hungry now.
Posted by: SarahKate | February 23, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Seriously, doesn't bacon make everything better?!
Posted by: Kristin | February 25, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Looks, oh so good! I love what you've done with your blog!
Posted by: angelaineurope | February 27, 2009 at 09:53 AM
Heather, I need to check out pomegranate chipotle glazed shrimp -- sounds delicious!
Lydia, I wish they'd rerun AbFab episodes for all major sporting events.
Donna, shrimp, bacon and horseradish turns out to be a good combination.
Patricia, if it were a soccer game I'd be paying more attention. That's more interesting to me than football.
Adele, I think that's a good way to be about the Superbowl. :-)
Elizabeth, heh! Just say the word and it can visit you.
Pigtown, those chefs take good care of you.Sounds like a perfect setup.
Selba, it's a very good combination!
JAPRA, I like Superbowl food too. And I like having an excuse to cook.
Peter, my thoughts exactly.
Katy, I've never had scallops in bacon -- I should remedy that, shouldn't I?
Claudia, seafood and bacon really do have an affinity.
Janet, so sad about the scallop allergy! But yes, have a little shrimp and bacon.
SarahKate, they make a very good combination.
Kristin, everything IS better with bacon. It's true.
Angela!!! Thanks. Good to hear from you.
Posted by: Julie | February 28, 2009 at 11:36 AM
SHRIMP yummmmyyy!!!! one of my favorite. and shrimp with BACON?? wwwoowwww.. great combination.. think the taste gonna rock!! :) looks delicious. cant wait to try this amazing recipe. thanx a lot for sharing :D
Posted by: nora | May 20, 2009 at 02:36 PM
Wrapping the shrimp in prosciutto instead of bacon, then grilling or roasting them, and serving them with a variety of dipping sauces, is another great way to combine pork and shrimp.
Posted by: Sean | August 20, 2009 at 12:39 PM
What a great idea! I've never tried this before. It sure looks delicious!
Posted by: Boracay hotel package | August 26, 2009 at 09:39 AM
When you mentioned that your kitchen was in the basement at cbc, AbFab was the first thing I thought of. :)
Posted by: Amuse-bouche for Two | October 05, 2009 at 03:33 PM
Greetings from Kuwait !!
Great idea..love it :)
Posted by: BNDQ8 | November 04, 2009 at 07:57 AM
Do you have a newsletter for your site here?
your recipe is fabulous and Id like to see hat other reciepes you have. I did a search and came across this but would like to read more recipes from you
thanks
Posted by: LL | December 31, 2009 at 01:37 PM