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Lots of great
Shrimp Recipes
Anytime Balsamic Shrimp
So good! Wait to you try the faux aged balsamic vinegar recipe.
Baked Stuffed Shrimp
with Clams
Very easy to prepare and so
good!
Bread Salad with Grilled Shrimp &
Walla Walla Onions
An excellent salad to serve with your favorite wine.
Creamy
Grits and Shrimp
One of the most popular dishes in Charleston is creamy
grits with shrimp. Every restaurant seems to have their own version of
this favorite dish, the following is my version.
Flambe Seafood
Pineapple Boat
I
created this dish for a gourmet dinner that I put up for a local charity
auction. Using the pineapple
shells makes a very dramatic, exotic, and beautiful presentation! This
wonderful dish will definitely delight your family and friends.
Frogmore Stew
Also known as Low Country Boil
and Beaufort stew. this dish comes from the African-American Gullah culture
of the Sea islands
(the seas Islands area are a cluster of islands that stretch along the coasts of
South Carolina and northern Georgia).
Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp
This recipe is so easy to make!
Grilled Shrimp with Lime
These
lime grilled shrimp are so tasty and so easy to make. The lime/garlic flavor
makes this dish a standout. This is truly a "finger-licking" food!
Grilled Shrimp
with Truffle Oil Vinaigrette
Nothing is better than these wonderful
shrimp with truffle oil!
Killer Shrimp
Your guests and family will
definitely love these shrimp!
Linguine with Shrimp
A quick and easy pasta dish.
Mango Salad with Grilled Shrimp
This is a definite make-again dish. This makes an excellent starter course,
and is equally great as a light luncheon dish. If you want to impress guests,
this one is the dish to make!
Peruvian Ceviche
This recipe was given to me by
Leo Porter of Fort Kalamath, Oregon. Ceviche is an appetizer that is popular throughout
Latin America. The acidity of the lime juice actually "cooks" or "pickles"
the seafood and firms the flesh.
Seafood Gumbo -
New Orleans Style
Leo Neil of Crosby, Texas generously shared this
fantastic New Orleans Gumbo recipe with me. Leo says,
"I'm very passionate about New Orleans traditional cooking
and it's a shame to what culinary level the mighty gumbo has sunk. I always
try gumbo in restaurants and I've been to some of the best, but they NEVER
get it right."
Shrimp
Appetizer Supreme
These are fabulous! Sure to impress your
guests. This recipe was given to me by my friend,
Karen Calanchini of Redding, California.
Shrimp Caprese
Inspired by a tour through the northern Veneto and southern Campagna regions
of Italy, the chefs of the Olive Garden Restaurants have created this new
entree for their menu.
Shrimp Cheeseball
This is my mother's favorite
recipe to bring to our Christmas Eve celebration every year. It is easy to make
and a favorite of our family. This is also excellent as a sandwich spread.
Shrimp
Cocktail
What could be easier and more
delightful than a shrimp cocktail to start off your meal?
Shrimp Cole Slaw
This is so easy to make and is absolutely wonderful. My mother
makes this cole slaw for all our family gatherings.
Shrimp Etouffee
A famous Louisiana dish. This is wonderful! My husband gave
this fantastic recipe a "10" rating.
Shrimp Jambalaya
Another famous Louisiana dish. Jambalaya could be a second cousin of gumbo -
the recipes are similar with the exception of cooked rice.
Shrimp Martini
Ceviche with Chili-Cumin Chips
For a wonderful refreshing
first-course presentation, serve this delightful ceviche martini. The
acidity of the lime juice actually "cooks" or "pickles" the shrimp and firms
the flesh.
Shrimp Paella
A good bottle of wine, salad,
and bread are all you need to make a terrific dinner with this wonderful
paella. The amounts of
the ingredients are relative and it does not matter if you use more of one
and less of another or chose not to use some at all.
Shrimp
Won Tons
These are fabulous! Sure to
impress your guests.
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All Shrimp Are Not The
Same:
Each type or species of shrimp have their own characteristics with flavor, texture, cooking times, and a best cooking method for them.
You have
Gulf Shrimp, Farm Raised Shrimp, Tiger Shrimp, Imported Shrimp, and Coldwater
Shrimp.
In fact, there are over 300 species of shrimp in the world.
The flavor
and texture of each type of shrimp are influenced by the waters they come
from or are raised in, plus from what they eat or are fed. Wild shrimp feed
on seaweed and crustaceans which gives them a more enriched flavor and
thicker shells. The ability to swim freely also makes the meat firmer.
Shrimp are found
abundantly in America, off the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards in inshore
waters, wherever the bottom is sandy. Shrimp are in season
from May to October and 95% of the shrimp caught come from the warm waters
of the South Atlantic and Gulf states.
How To Purchase Shrimp:
Fresh s hrimp is
highly perishable! Fresh shrimp should ideally be eaten within 24 hours of
purchase. Unless you live in the part of the
country where you can actually buy "fresh" shrimp, it is best to buy frozen
shrimp. Most shrimp in the grocery stores are frozen shrimp that has been
thawed. The shelf like of thawed shrimp is only a couple of days, whereas
shrimp stored in the freezer retain their quality for several weeks.
Fresh Shrimp:
Avoid shrimp that smells of anything other
than salt water. If there is any hint of the aroma of ammonia, it's
a sign the shrimp is way past its prime. Truly fresh shrimp will have almost
translucent flesh. Do not buy shrimp
with black spots or rings (unless it's black tiger shrimp) as this indicates
the meat is starting to break down. Also avoid pink meat.
Frozen Shrimp:
If possible, AVOID shrimp that has been
peeled and deveined before freezing. It can cause a loss of flavor and
texture (shells will help to protect the meat
of the shrimp and add more flavor to it).
1 pound of raw shrimp in
their shells = about 1/2 pound peeled and cooked shrimp
Shrimp Sizes:
In the United States, shrimp are sold by count.
< This is a rating of the size and weight of the shrimp. The count represents
the number of shrimp in a pound for a given size category.
This shrimp sizing chart is to be used for buying frozen or fresh Shrimp in
the shell without the head on. All shrimp are sold by sizes, whether they
are sold by the actual count or by a name such as jumbo or extra large. Shrimp will be labeled both ways to help
you determine the size you are buying. For example a Jumbo Shrimp would have 21 to 25 shrimp per pound.
NOTE:
The U in the first three Shrimp sizes stands for under that many shrimp in a
pound. For example U/10 would be under 10 shrimp per pound.
|
Market/Trade Name |
Shrimp count (number)
per pound |
Average shrimp per pound |
|
Extra Colossal |
U10 |
5 |
|
Colossal |
U12 |
9 |
|
Colossal |
U15 |
14 |
|
Extra Jumbo |
16/20 |
18 |
|
Jumbo |
21/25 |
23 |
|
Extra Large |
26/30 |
28 |
|
Large |
31/35 |
33 |
|
Medium Large |
36/40 |
38 |
|
Medium |
41/50 |
45 |
|
Small |
51/60 |
55 |
|
Extra Small |
61/70 |
65 |
How To Defrost Frozen Shrimp:
Never defrost any type of shellfish at
room temperature and it is best not to defrost them in the microwave
either. Defrost shrimp either in the refrigerator or in
ice cold
water. Do not defrost in a warm place or microwave.
 How
To De-veining
Shrimp:
(Photo on right is of different types of shrimp de-veiners that can be purchased.)
Should shrimp be
de-veined?
The black "vein" that runs along the back of
the shrimp is actually its digestive tract. These
veins are in fact edible but if eaten they can taste gritty and dirty,
particularly with larger prawns or shrimp. While it isn't necessary to remove the
vein, some people say the shrimp look and taste better when de-veined.
This is
pretty much a question of aesthetics. Most cooks won't bother de-veining
medium-sized or smaller shrimp, unless they look particularly dirty. You can
see the vein through the shell and meat, so use your own judgment.
Deveining shrimp:
- Shrimp cook well in or out of their shells,
but they're easier to de-vein before cooking.
- Run the de-veiner or the tip of
a small knife down the back of the shrimp. This will allow you to remove the
vein.
- You may remove the shell at this time or boil with shell on and remove
after cooking.
- If frying, shell should be removed first.
- You can de-vein shrimp while leaving
the shell on (the shell adds flavor and can protect the meat if you're
grilling the shrimp.)
How To Cook Shrimp:
Shrimp can be cooking in a variety of way.
They can be boiled, steamed, grilled, sautéed, baked, or deep-fried. They
can also be cooked with or without the shell, with the vein or deveined.
Shrimp should always be cooked quickly in order to
preserve their sweet, delicate flavors. They are very quick to cook,
and the flavor can easily be ruined by overcooking. Most shrimp cook in as little as 3
minutes - when they're pink, they are done.
Boiling Method:
This
is probably the most common method of cooking shrimp, particularly the
smaller types. To properly boil shrimp:
- Place a pound of
shrimp in a quart of rapidly boiling water with (3) three tablespoons of
salt.
- Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and return to a boil.
Let simmer until the flesh has lost its
glossy appearance and is opaque in center (cut to test).
- Jumbo shrimp take
about 7 to 8 minutes, large shrimp take about 5 to 7 minutes, and medium
size are done in about 3 to 4 minutes.
If your shrimp are to be used in a recipe and not eaten right away after
cooking (such as grilling), they should be
plunged into cold water to stop the cooking process. (Do not let them cool
in the cooking liquid. They will continue to cook and get tough)
Grilling Method:
Grilling is a popular method for cooking larger shrimp. Smaller shrimp
may also be grilled, but it is usually best to put them on skewers
first.
- Once the grill is hot place the larger shrimp or skewered smaller
shrimp on the prepared grill, leaving room between each shrimp or
skewer.
- Brush the prawns with a little olive oil and then sprinkle them with
salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until the prawns have turned pink,
turning the shrimp and/or skewers once halfway through cooking time.
- Remove from the heat and serve
How To Brine Shrimp:
Brining is very easy and economical, and
requires no special cookware. Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food
moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture
holding capacity of shrimp resulting in a moister product when it is cooked.
Brining is a process to be used if you want to put a little more "snap" to
shrimp. Brining draws extra moisture out of the shrimp flesh, thus firming
it's texture. Brining turns potentially mushy shrimp into shrimp
with a chewy texture similar to lobster tail. Brining can be used with
either peeled and deveined raw shrimp or
shell on raw shrimp.
Do not brine raw shrimp if they are to be used for poaching and other
wet cooking techniques. Tests and found that the brining
lets the shrimp retain more moisture when cooked with a dry method (grilling
or pan frying, for example).
Kosher salt and table salt (without iodine)
are the most common salts used in brining. Sea salt can be used, but it
tends to be quite expensive. I usually use kosher salt. A cup of table salt
and a cup of kosher salt are not equal. Table salt weighs approximately 10
ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup
depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you must use more
than a cup to achieve the same "saltiness" you would get from a cup of table
salt. The chart below shows how to substitute the two most popular brands of
kosher salt for ordinary table salt when brining.
Table Salt (without iodine) -
1 cup
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt - 2 cups
Morton Kosher Salt - 1 1/2 cups
How long to brine
raw shrimp:
It is possible to end up with meat that's
too salty for your taste. To avoid this, brine on the low end of the time
range on your first attempt. You can always brine longer next time, but
there's no way to salvage a piece of meat that's been brined too long.
Shrimp
(peeled) - 20 to 30 minutes
Shrimp (unpeeled) - 40 to 60 minutes
Brine for
shrimp:
1/4 cup kosher or coarse salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 cups ice
Stir salt and sugar into boiling water until dissolved; pour into large
bowl filled with ice; add up to 2 pounds raw shrimp. Let sit in the brine,
refrigerated for 20 to 60 minutes (see chart above). Remove shrimp
from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp thoroughly under cold
water and dry on paper towels. Refrigerate the raw brined shrimp until ready to use in your
recipe.
How To Freeze Shrimp - (Raw or Cooked)
Select high-quality, fresh shrimp for
freezing. Shrimp can be frozen cooked or raw, in or out of the shell. For
maximum storage life and quality, freeze shrimp raw, with heads removed, but
shells still on. Shrimp may also be frozen in water in a freezer container
or wrap it well in plastic and place it in the
coldest part of the freezer where it will keep for about one month.
Shrimp
Etiquette:
Shrimp Cocktail:
If large shrimp are served in a stemmed
glass, pick them up with an oyster fork or whatever fork is provided and
bite off a mouthful at a time, dipping into the sauce before each bite.
Large Shrimp: If large shrimp are served on a platter with
sauce and no fork, pick up with your fingers, dip into sauce and put to your
mouth. When eating shrimp with
the tail still on, hold the shrimp by the tail and dip it into the
sauce once. Eat it in one bite if it is not too large. Otherwise,
eat it in two bites. Do not dunk the second bite into the sauce!
Then discard the tail as you would olive pits or toothpicks.Deep-Fried Shrimp:
Tail-on deep-fried shrimp is meant to be eaten with the fingers.
Skewered Shrimp: If
eating shrimp on a skewer, slide the shrimp off onto a plate (even
if it is a paper plate at a cook out). Skewered shrimp should never
be eaten like a corn dog.
Oriental Dishes:
When eating shrimp with the tail that are part
of some orientail dishes or fried foods, remove the tail with a fork
and set to the side of your plate or on a separate "discard dish" if
one is provided.
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