SHRIMP-AND-GRUYERE CHEESECAKE

By D_1Tri

Ingredients

• Italian Tomato Sauce:
• 1 1/4 cups round buttery cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size fresh shrimp
• 1/3 cup minced green pepper
• 1/3 cup minced sweet red pepper
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 11/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• Garnishes: sweet red pepper strips, shrimp, fresh basil leaves
• Italian Tomato Sauce (recipe below)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 (14-ounce) cans tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation

Step 1

Combine cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup butter; press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Peel, devein, and chop shrimp. Saute shrimp and next 4 ingredients in 3 tablespoons butter 4 to 5 minutes; drain well, and set aside.
Beat cream cheese and mayonnaise: at high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Gradually add milk, beating at low
speed just until blended. Stir in shrimp mixture, Gruyere, and 1 teaspoon white pepper.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes or until set. Turn oven off, and partially open oven door; leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour.
Let cool completely on a wire rack; cover and chill. Garnish, if desired. Serve with Italian Tomato Sauce. Yield: 8 servings.

Italian Tomato Sauce:

Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet until onion is tender. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf; serve warm. Yield: about 2 cups.