Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp Base
- 250 g cooked, peeled shrimp, diced small
- 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated or crushed
- 1 fresh thyme, leaves picked
Spiced Butter
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed and divided
- 2 g celery seeds
- 2 g lemon zest
- 1 g cayenne pepper, optional
- sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 338 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 271 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 199 mg
- Potassium
- 198 mg
- Calcium
- 68 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 29 mg
- Phosphorus
- 168 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 273 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 54 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the shrimp by ensuring they are thoroughly patted dry with paper towels. If using larger prawns, dice them into 0.5cm pieces. Finely mince the anchovy fillets into a paste.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt 100g of the butter. Add the minced anchovy, grated garlic, celery seeds, fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, and optional cayenne. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes until aromatic, being careful not to brown the butter or burn the garlic.
Add the diced shrimp to the spiced butter. Stir gently to coat and warm the shrimp through. Do not let the butter boil, or the shrimp will toughen. Remove from heat as soon as the shrimp are warm (about 2 minutes). Taste and season with a small pinch of salt if needed.
Divide the shrimp mixture equally among four ramekins. Press the shrimp down gently with the back of a spoon to create a flat surface and minimize air pockets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
Melt the remaining 50g of butter. Pour a thin layer over the top of each chilled ramekin to create an airtight seal. Return to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set completely.
Chef's Notes
- Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving. The butter needs to soften slightly to be spreadable.
- Serve with thin slices of warm, toasted sourdough or brown bread and a wedge of lemon to cut through the richness.
- Authentic British potted shrimp typically uses Morecambe Bay brown shrimp, which have a distinctive sweet flavor. If unavailable, standard pink shrimp diced small are a fine substitute.
- The anchovy acts as a seasoning salt (umami bomb) rather than a fishy flavor; do not skip it as it provides the savory backbone to the dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Ensure the butter seal remains unbroken for maximum freshness.
Freezer: 1 month — Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Troubleshooting
Butter texture is grainy or separated
Cause: Butter was heated too high and the milk solids separated or burned
Fix: Cannot be fixed once potted, but edible. Next time, use lower heat or clarified butter.
Prevention: Keep heat very low; the butter should just barely melt and infuse, not sizzle aggressively
Cultural Context
Potted shrimp is a traditional British dish originating from Lancashire, specifically Morecambe Bay. historically, 'potting' meat or fish in butter was a preservation technique used before refrigeration to exclude air and prevent spoilage. It remains a classic staple of British high tea and starter menus.
