Step 1 of 2
Begin by melting butter in a wide pan set to a medium heat level. Add the onion, garlic, cayenne, Cajun spices, and red pepper flakes, then sauté the mixture for roughly 5 minutes until the onions become soft and see-through. Incorporate the shrimp, cooking them for about 5 minutes or until they turn opaque and exhibit a vibrant pink hue. Remove any leftover oil from the pan and put the shrimp aside.
The recipe would improve with an increased amount of seasoning and a reduction in butter. I found that I could sauté the onions, garlic, and shrimp using just a tiny amount of butter, which actually helps the spices stick to the shrimp much better.
It is quite tasty, but I prefer a different approach using scallions, cream cheese, Old Bay, and liquid smoke, as it is less salty and simpler to prepare.
Using a full cup of butter to fry these ingredients as directed is an extreme amount. You could easily sauté those same components using only two teaspoons of butter. Furthermore, the instruction to drain off the excess fat seems like a pointless waste. Beyond the butter issue, despite the generous amount of seasoning, the final cheese ball lacks flavor. I suggest increasing the red pepper flakes to 3 tablespoons and adding 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper to improve the taste.