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Shrimp and bacon,
back together

I always greet with trepidation requests that begin with "about 30 years ago ..." They almost always involve long-lost dishes from long-gone restaurants. Often, even the restaurant name has been lost to the past.

But there's nothing like a challenge, right? Even if the original is gone forever, sometimes a reasonable facsimile can be found.

"About 30 years ago I was able to purchase from a local Chinese restaurant a dish called Butterfly Shrimp," wrote Audrey Simmons. "The shrimp was butterflied and wrapped in bacon and coated with egg and fried." She included a PS: "There were no snow peas with this dish."

I could see the reason for the postscript as soon as I started searching. Lots of recipes exist for Chinese butterflied shrimp and snow peas, but no bacon. In fact, the use of bacon makes this dish seem out of place as a classically Chinese dish.

I finally found three recipes, all on a Web site called www.fooddownunder.com, so perhaps this is an Australian-Chinese dish?

I consider this recipe a work in progress because the sauce is not quite right. Simmons describes the sauce of her memory as spicy, with chopped nuts. This one is ketchupy with no nuts, although you could easily add chilies and experiment with peanuts.

If you can offer any clues as to the genesis of this dish or if you know how to make the spicy-nutty sauce, please get in touch.

Shell and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Butterfly by making a slice down back, not quite all the way through. Spread halves apart and press flat. Wrap a piece of bacon around each shrimp.

Heat wok or skillet over medium heat, then add oil. Dip shrimp into beaten egg and place in wok. Fry 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn and fry another 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels, leaving oil in wok.

To make sauce: Reheat wok. Combine sugar, vinegar, ketchup, salt, water and garlic. Add to oil in wok. Bring to boil and stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken. Serve with shrimp. Serves 4.