Mimosa Prawns

Note from Cheri: The recipe, text and photo below are reprinted with permission from Trader Vic's Tiki Party! - Cocktails and Food to Share with Friends by Steve Siegelman (2005, Ten Speed Press). Tiki Parties are hot again, the kitschier and more retro the better. Well why not learn from the master? After all, nobody does tropical better than Trader Vic! This gorgeously produced book, complemented by wonderful full color photos, includes recipes for 100 of Trader Vic's favorite cocktails and over 35 party friendly recipes for pupus (appetizers), buffet style entrées and desserts. The collection represents the best of the trader Vic's restaurant menus - past and present. Throughout the pages you'll also find lots of useful tips for entertaining and make ahead strategies. So whether you want to have a casual get together, or an all out, blowout theme party, Trader Vic's Tiki Party will help you do it in tasty style! Click here to learn more about this great book and for another great sample Trader Vic recipe.

These butterflied prawns, glazed under the broiler with garlic butter, are an appetizer that has been pleasing crowds forever at Trader Vic's. Here's the clever part: The breadcrumbs are built right into the butter, so that as the butter melts, they soak it up, becoming golden, garlicky, and moist. The skewers make this version easy to cook and serve.

Garlic Parsley Butter: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf (Italian) parsley dash of Worcestershire sauce dash of Tabasco sauce 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper 16 extra-large shrimp (about 1 pound) peeled and deveined but with tails left on vegetable oil for greasing

Makes 16 Skewers Soak sixteen 8-inch bamboo skewers in warm water for 20 minutes. To make the garlic-parsley butter, using a whisk, whip the butter in a bowl until it is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Add the lemon juice, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Spread a sheet of plastic wrap, about 12 inches long, on the work surface. Dollop the butter in a line about a third of the way up the plastic wrap. Roll up the butter in the plastic wrap, forming a log about 8 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, and put it the refrigerator or freezer to harden. To prepare the shrimp, cut through the back of each shrimp with a paring knife to butterfly it; do not cut all the way through, but cut deeply enough so that the shrimp will flatten when it is lightly pressed. Insert a bamboo skewer through the center of the shrimp; the shrimp should be secure on the skewer and played open with an indentation in the center to hold melted butter; it will remain flat when cooked. Preheat the broiler. Lightly oil a large baking pan. Arrange the shrimp, cut side down, on the baking pan and broil about 4 inches from the heat source. Cook, turning once, until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 2 to 4 minutes total; when done, the shrimp should be cut side up and cooked through. Top each shrimp with a 1/4 inch thick slice of the flavored butter and return to the broiler until the butter is melted and the breadcrumbs and parsley are pooled in the center of each shrimp, about 1 minute. To serve, taking care not to disturb the butter, gently arrange the shrimp, cut side up, on a platter. Serve immediately. Make Ahead Strategy: You can prepare the garlic-parsley butter as directed up to 1 week in advance and store, well wrapped, in the refrigerator, or make it up to 1 month in advance and store it in the freezer. The shrimp can be butterflied and skewered up to 8 hours ahead and stored, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator, with exposed skewers wrapped in a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.