Shrimp Salad in Cucumber Cups

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 1 (1/4-inch-thick) lemon slice
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 marinated artichoke heart quarters, roughly chopped, plus 1 tsp of the liquid
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2  medium (8-inch) cucumbers

Makes 2 (4-piece) Servings

1. Bring water, peppercorns, lemon slice and bay leaf to a  simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; simmer for 1 minute. Ad shrimp, cover pan, and remove pan from heat. Let shrimp sitting poaching liquid until opaque and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a cutting board and roughly chop.
2. Place shrimp in a medium bowl; add artichoke hearts and the 1 teaspoon liquid, lemon juice and basil; stir to combine.
3. Using a sharp knife, trim ends of cucumbers. Cut each cucumber crosswise into4 pieces, each about 2 inches long. Cut straight sides down each piece to square it, leaving the peel intact just at the corners. Using a melon baller, cup a small cup, about 1 inch deep, into each cucumber piece. Fill each cup with 2 tablespoons of shrimp mixture and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. If you are not in the mood for a heavy dinner, it's too hot to cook or you're looking for a delicious appetizer, this dish is four you. I have now become a fan of shrimp I can't wait to cook more shrimp dishes. This appetizer is both a light and elegant it will impress anyone. The cucumbers and shrimp mixture can both be made up to 8 hours ahead of time; they just need to be wrapped, put in a covered container and put into the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, bring all ingredients to room temperature and fill cups just before serving.