Serves 4–6

Dinner parties at Tim and John's are always special. From Italian Summer Solstice parties to Chinese New Year's celebrations, they always do it up. I adjusted this recipe of theirs to give it a bit of a Thai taste.

Spicy Shrimp Dip

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced chives

½ teaspoon salt

½ serrano chili, seeded and minced

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

8 ounces shrimp, cleaned and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  1. In a medium-sized sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the chives, salt, chili pepper, and lemon zest; sauté for 2 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp; sauté for 3 minutes or until opaque.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and coarsely purée. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Firmly pack the purée into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
  5. To serve, remove the shrimp dip from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the dip with an assortment of crackers and toast points or some favorite veggies.