Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Balsamic Reduction

My super awesome friend, Missy, invited us to dinner at her house a few weekends ago and we really enjoyed her bacon wrapped shrimp appetizer.

Ingredients:

About 20 raw shrimp (large), peeled and de-veined, try these

Bacon, 10 strips cut in half, try this

1/2 medium or 1 small onion (red or white), diced

Sea salt

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar, try this

1-2 tbsp coconut sugar, try this

1-2 tbsp Grade B maple syrup (optional)

How To:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pinch tails from shrimp, wrap in a half strip of bacon, secure with a toothpick, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flip, and then bake an additional ten to 15 minutes until bacon is crisp. **If your bacon is not crisp enough, finish with the broiler for 3-4 minutes. However, if you have lined your baking sheet with parchment paper, do not put it near the broiler heat source or it may catch on fire. Guess how I know this??

2. While the shrimp is cooking, in a skillet, saute the onion until tender in a little butter. Then add the balsalmic vinegar and coconut sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until sauce has reduced by at least half, and thickened. Season with sea salt, if desired. Finish with maple syrup (optional) - if adding, stir and cook for about 5 minutes more.

3. Pour sauce over shrimp and serve.

Comments:

These shrimp are amazingly delicious and incredibly easy to make. Do not try to rush your balsalmic reduction. Make sure you simmer low and slow until the balsalmic mixture is reduced by at least half, and you will have a very nice sauce. Overall, this takes about 30-45 minutes to make (including cook time), but minimal prep, less than 15 minutes, unless you have to peel and de-vein your shrimp in which case it would take a bit longer. Serves about four to six for an appetizer.

Regarding the maple syrup, you probably won't need it. Your reduction will likely be sweet enough without it. But test your sauce at the end and if you think it should be a bit sweeter, add a little maple syrup.

Finally, if you have any interest about balsamic vinegar including the method used to produce it and why the real stuff is so pricey, please follow this link.

 

This recipe was shared at Natural Living Monday, Melt In Your Mouth Mondays, Traditional Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, and Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.

 

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