Old Bay Boil

When I think of a seafood party, I think of an outdoor shrimp or crawfish boil, complete with the scent of Old Bay seasoning permeating everything. Now isn’t the best time of the year for that, so I set out to recreate that experience with these Old Bay Shrimp Stacks!

Seafood is a good protein source packed with nutrients such as omega-3s, which many of us could use more of in our diets.

Seafood fits with all of your favorite flavors – it can be incorporated into a spicy Latin dish, flavorful Creole recipe, light and refreshing salad, or a rich Italian pasta bowl.

Fresh, local, seasonal catches are easy on the wallet, as are frozen options and canned seafood, such as tuna or salmon.

The best part for those of us strapped for time: fresh, frozen, or canned seafood can be used to make a meal in about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Going to one of these seafood boils is a lot of fun – everyone brings lawn chairs and yard games, kids are running around, music is playing, and there’s so.much.food. Every time I leave I feel like I need a giant nap, I’m that full. I mostly fill up on the contents of the boil itself and my hands smell like Old Bay seasoning for days. I took those elements and broke them down into a sheet-pan style appetizer that’s super simple to prep and doesn’t need to be canceled if there’s rain in the forecast.

Potatoes, corn, and shrimp come together in a nice bite-sized package that delivers all the same flavor you’d find in a classic seafood boil. The only difference here is that you’re also getting a tasty dipping sauce that comes together in seconds and can be paired with other savory appetizers or small bites.

Wondering how I did it? Check out the full recipe below! It could be a new tasty way to work towards getting the recommended two servings of seafood every week.

The key is to slice the potatoes thin, but not too thin. We’re not making homemade chips, just getting them crispy enough they aren’t too soft to hold up under shrimp, corn, and sauce. I used my mandolin to slice them a little less than 1/4″ inch thick, but you could also carefully slice them by hand if you don’t have a mandolin. Adjust the baking time as needed if you make your slices thicker, since the recipe’s cooking time is based on the slices you see above.

You can also try this recipe with crawfish tails or small scallops to mix up the seafood options. Or try adding slices of andouille sausage if you aren’t a fan of shrimp. Creole seasoning mixes are also good stand-ins in you can’t find Old Bay deep in your spice cabinet.

OLD BAY SHRIMP STACKS

This is like a seafood boil in every bite! Reimagine the classic New England flavors and prepare an indoor, party-ready version with this recipe. 

COURSE APPETIZER, SNACK

CUISINE AMERICAN

KEYWORD OLD BAY, SEAFOOD PARTY

PREP TIME 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME 30 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES

SERVINGS 16 PIECES

INGREDIENTS

1 Russet potato large

1/2 cup sweet corn kernels

1/2 pound shrimp 31-40 ct, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

Fresh parsley for garnish

Chopped chives for garnish

FOR THE SAUCE

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tbsp chopped chives

1 tsp dijon mustard

juice of 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan or two smaller sheet pans with aluminum foil or spray with nonstick spray.

Wash and dry the potato. Using an mandolin, slice crosswise into thin slices (1/4″ thick). Discard the smallest ends and arrange the 16 largest slices on the sheet pan(s). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the potato slices begin to brown and crisp slightly.

While the potato slices are baking, prepare the other ingredients. If using frozen shrimp and corn, thaw and dry thoroughly. Remove the tails from the shrimp and add to a mixing bowl with the corn, olive oil, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine so the corn and shrimp are evenly coated.

Remove the sheet pans from the oven. Arrange the shrimp and corn on top of the potato rounds. Try to evenly fill each round to be mostly covered, using 1 or 2 shrimp per piece. Return sheet pans to the oven, switch to the BROIL setting, and broil for 5 minutes or until the tops of the stacks begin to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then garnish with fresh parsley and chopped chives.

Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Mix well, then serve with the shrimp stacks for dipping.