Shrimp and Gruyere Cheesecake

By debrcovey

Ingredients

• FOR CHEESECAKE:
• 1 1/4 cups round buttery cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 pound 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
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• Garnishes: sweet red pepper strips, shrimp, fresh basil leaves
• Italian Tomato Sauce
• FOR ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 (14-ounce) can tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

CHEESECAKE:
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.

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE:
Saute 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.