Microwave olive oil for 30 seconds, or just until hot. Add butter, paprika and herbs.
Into a blender bowl, scrape the zest of the lemon using a zester, vegetable peeler, or grater. The zest is the yellow skin on the lemon - avoid getting any of the white portion because it's bitter. The lemon flavor and oil is all contained in the yellow portion.
Squeeze the lemon juice into the blender container, removing any seeds. Add garlic and process. Allow garlic to sit in lemon juice for 2-3 minutes; this takes the "raw" edge off the garlic.
Add hot oil and butter mixture, process another 10 seconds.
For a variation, stir in a dash of Frank's Hot Sauce, Texas Pete or green or red Tabasco sauce just before serving.
Use as a dipping sauce for grilled shrimp, or pour over grilled fish or lobster, just before serving.
Quahogs on the half-shell: Freeze quahogs until they open slightly, then pry open (20-30 minutes). Place on grill until cooked, and spoon 1 teaspoon of dipping sauce (with Frank's Hot sauce) over each one. Old Salts will eat the quahogs without cooking.
Can also be brushed over seafood during grilling.
Food Safety Tip: If you use this for brushing raw seafood on the grill, use a separate portion and discard remainder. Save a "clean" batch to serve as dipping sauce.
Submitted by: CM
