Shrimp with Apricot Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onions, with some of the green tops
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

Mix the apricots with the orange liqueur in a small bowl and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to soak up the flavors. Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the bell pepper and green onions, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until you can really smell it. Turn the heat down to medium, then add the shrimp to the pan. Cook them until they turn pink, which should take around 2 minutes. Pour in the apricot and orange liqueur mixture, stirring everything together and letting it cook for about 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, lemon juice, soy sauce, cornstarch, and a little pepper. Pour this sauce into the skillet and stir it in, cooking just until it thickens slightly and everything is heated through, about a minute more.