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Written by Mike Plaia
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Originally Published in Nor'east Saltwater Magazine by Eileen Plaia
| We Americans consume more than a billion pounds of shrimp a year. It’s readily available, relatively inexpensive, versatile and low-fat.
Few people know that there are about six distinct species commonly sold in the United States, not including Maine sweet shrimp which unfortunately are very rarely seen for sale. The season for Maine shrimp is mid-winter, sometime between November and March. Maine shrimp are very small shrimp, so sweet and tender that they can be eaten raw, and once in a while, sushi bars will have them. If you ever come upon them , buy several pounds. They can be cooked or eaten raw, and freeze well.
Another sought after shrimp is the Gulf white shrimp which are usually the most expensive and frequently the best, but nowadays the black tiger shrimp, which are farmed, are extremely popular and I think totally acceptable.
Almost all shrimp sold in the Northeast is frozen. Flash-frozen shrimp can be delicious when handled and stored properly. Modern improved freezing technology has made fresh shrimp increasingly rare, and it is safe to say that almost any shrimp you buy has been frozen and thawed by retailer or chef. Shrimp farmers maintain that farm-raised shrimp are more consistently good because they are harvested when ready to pack and are packed right before shipping. The shelf life of previously frozen shrimp is not much more than a couple of days, so buying thawed shrimp gives you neither the flavor of fresh nor the flexibility of frozen.
To improve the flavor and texture of shrimp I give them a simple brine. This also helps to defrost them quickly. Put your frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water. For a pound of shrimp I add about a half of a cup of kosher salt ( regular salt can be used also ). Exact measurements are not necessary. Brining does not make the shrimp salty. Brine the shrimp for about an hour, stirring once in awhile to dissolve the ice on the shrimp. Rinse them off and they’re ready to be cooked. You will especially notice the difference in taste and texture if you are using the shrimp for something as simple as boiled shrimp.
Shrimp are categorized by size. Labeling them small, medium, large, jumbo, etc. is subjective and relative. A better way to choose the size is by the number of shrimp it takes to make a pound. Shrimp marked 16/20 for example require 16 to 20 shrimp to make a pound. Those labeled U-10 for example (the U means under) requires that fewer than 10 shrimp make up a pound, so obviously these are larger shrimp. Shrimp from 15 to 30 shrimp a pound are the best all around choices. Remember, the smaller the shrimp the more work it is to peel them. I personally like the two- pound bags of frozen shrimp labeled 21-25.
Buying seafood in local supermarkets has become extremely popular. Most of the shrimp is available in two-pound bags. If two pounds of shrimp are too much for you, take out the amount you want, close the bag tightly, put it in another self-sealing plastic bag and it will last for a couple of weeks in the freezer. When purchasing the shrimp, make sure the shrimp are completely frozen, and if not, ask the person taking care of the seafood department to go into the freezer for your shrimp. If you see a lot of ice in the bag, it means the shrimp has been defrosted during handling and then refrozen. In that case the quality has already deteriorated. You don’t want to purchase that shrimp.
The bagged shrimp will most likely have the shell on, but split, and it will be deveined which saves a lot of work and means that black line which is the intestinal tract has been removed. Some people think that you can get ill from eating that intestinal tract. It may not be aesthetically pleasing but it is harmless. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be invited to a Southern shrimp boil, the shrimp are boiled and poured out on a table lined with newspaper and no one even thinks about deveining the shrimp. The only exception is in very large shrimp. If the vein is thick, visible and black you may want to remove it.
Now that we’ve discussed the buying and preparation of shrimp, let’s cook!
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can ( twenty eight ounces ) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined ( I like 21 - 25 per pound)
1 pound linguine
Heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute briefly, watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
| Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over linguine.
Cook’s Notes: Fra Diavolo means “Brother Devil”, so any recipe so named will be spicy.
In this recipe the 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes gives moderate spiciness. I like to “kick it up a notch” and add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. The same goes for the garlic, if you’re a garlic fan, feel free to add more garlic. If this recipe was served to four people, each diner would get approximately five shrimp. I like more generous portions, so if I was serving this to four people I would double the entire recipe except for the linguine. If there are any leftovers, refrigerate promptly, and it will be delicious the next day. This is a very versatile dish. If you happen to have any clams on hand they can go in with the shrimp. Put the lid on the pot, and when the clams open they’re ready. If you’re a squid fan, squid rings can also go in the sauce. Cook the squid no longer than 5 minutes or they will get tough. One last note- the sauce can be cooked several hours ahead of time and when you’re ready to eat, reheat the sauce and add your shellfish. This is especially useful when having guests; the dish comes together with very little effort. I think this will become a favorite in your repertoire.
Shrimp Gumbo
3 tablespoons salad oil
3 tablespoons flour
2 small onions
1 medium bell pepper
4 bunches of scallions
3 cloves garlic
4 sticks celery
2 pounds shrimp ( I use 30 to 40 count in this recipe), shelled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups water
1 teaspoon gumbo file
Chop all vegetables and set aside. It will seem like a lot, but it cooks down and gives the dish a wonderful flavor.
First you make a roux: heat oil on medium heat, add flour and stir constantly until it becomes a dark brown. Be careful not to burn the flour.
Add chopped vegetables and stir for 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and salt and stir constantly for 5 minutes
Add water and simmer 30 minutes. Add gumbo file and stir. Some people like to add extra file to their bowl of gumbo and a few drops of hot sauce, such as Tabasco. Serve over rice.
Cook’s Notes: Gumbo has been described as the great dish of New Orleans which claims the honor of having invented it. This recipe is as authentic and delicious as one you would find in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Gumbo is meant to be a hearty, soupy dish, and it is made in infinite variations using fowl, wild game, sausage, smoked meats, seafood, and whatever is available. If you ever visit the French Quarter, you will have a staggering selection of gumbos from which to choose.
Gumbo file, pronounced gum-bo fee-lay is ground sassafras which both thickens and adds extra flavor. I’ve found the file at gourmet shops, but Zatarains sells file, if not in the market , online, and Penzey’s spices also sells gumbo file (www.penzeys.com)
Broiled Stuffed Shrimp
8-10 shelled and deveined shrimp
Crabmeat stuffing:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup crabmeat, shells and cartilage removed
1 pinch black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons dry sherry
extra butter for brushing shrimp
lemon wedges
Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute about 5 minutes, or until softened.
Add crabmeat, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley. Saute, stirring, until quite warm and crrabmeat has separated, resembling mush.
Stir in bread crumbs, mixing to incorporate any liquid in pan. Add more breadcrumbs, if necessary, to make a fairly thick mixture.
Sprinkle sherry over stuffing and stir well. Set aside.
With a sharp knife cut shrimp almost all the way through the backsides so that they “butterfly” when spread out.
Arrange shrimp, cut sides up, on a lightly oiled broiling pan.
Top each shrimp with about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing, pressing it into a rounded mound.
Melt additional butter and brush stuffing generously with it. Broil the shrimp 8 inches from heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until stuffing is lightly browned and shrimp are pink. Serve at once with lemon wedges.
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