from Better at Home
This retro-inspired snacking butter will be a hit at any cocktail party. It’s best served right away but can be made a day in advance; just be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving to maximize its spreadability. I love serving this dip with Triscuits, but any cracker will suit. Leftovers can be stirred into pasta.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
½ pound (225 g) wild-caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets
¼ cup (8 g) loosely packed fresh Italian parsley, both leaves and tender stems
8 tablespoons (115 g/1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon or regular lemon zest
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon or regular lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste
Triscuits and crudités, for serving.
Method
Set up a large bowl of ice and water and have near the stove. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are completely pink and firm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath and let sit until cool enough to handle and then pat them dry.
Transfer the shrimp to a food processor along with the shallot, anchovies, and parsley and pulse together until they form a paste.
In a large bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth.
Transfer the shrimp paste to the bowl of butter, along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, Calabrian chili paste, and a good pinch of salt. Stir together until everything is well combined.
Taste and adjust with more lemon juice and salt if needed. Transfer to a shallow bowl and serve immediately with crackers and crudité.
Serves 6 to 8
Time 20 minutes
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Switch up the shrimp for other seafood for different flavour profiles. If you can’t find Calabrian chili paste, any pepper paste will work. I found a jar with the President’s Choice label. Just chop it finely to almost a paste consistency.
Recipe from Better at Home: Recipes for Big Nights In by Colu Henry. Photography by Silver und Seck. ©2026 by Abrams Books. Excerpted with permission. All rights reserved. Better At Home: Recipes For Big Nights In Book By Colu Henry, (Hardcover) | Indigo