Please Pass the Shrimp!

Shrimp or prawns are one of those versatile shellfish almost everyone enjoys. And just like Bubba Gump said, there are many ways to prepare shrimp. Shrimp are wonderful in it’s most natural state, boiled and served with a seafood sauce or sautéed with lemon and garlic or in a soup, salad, with pasta or even fried in a gluten-free batter.

On our home, San Juan Island, summer time would not be the same without fresh caught and cooked shrimp. Freshly caught shrimp are sometimes served intact complete with heads and legs. The delicate art of eating them requires breaking off their heads and discarding them and the greenish matter inside; a practice not for the squeamish.

We’ve collected a selection of delectable shrimp recipes for almost any occasion; for an appetizer try Deep Fried Shrimp gluten-free style or Dry Fried Shrimp, and unusual cooking method whereby the spicy seasonings are placed inside the shell and then the shrimp are dry-fried inside the shells. Our Cream of Shrimp Soup is ‘to die for’; elegant and a perfect first course for entertaining, or for just a delicious warm meal for two. We have an incredible and easy main course meal featuring shrimp; Sautéed Shrimp with Orange and Basil, delightful and refreshing and special enough to serve to company.

If you aren’t lucky enough to live where you have access to fresh shrimp, you can buy frozen shrimp at your grocery store. If you must buy frozen shrimp, buy shrimp still in its shells. If you are selecting ‘fresh’ packaged shrimp from a grocery store, be sure the shells are firm and that the shrimp has no fishy smell. Soft shells are a sign of deteriorating shrimp.