Weekly Dish

I know boiling shrimp is generally a summer tradition. But, the shrimp at the Farmer’s Market last week were such a good deal that I had to buy some. And, really, it reached 90 degrees here last week, so if I didn’t have a calendar, I might think it was August instead of November.

If I buy shrimp fresh, I really feel like I owe it to the little creatures to eat them in the purest way possible, protecting their sweet delicate flavor as best I can. To me, boiling them is the very best way to get the most unadulterated shrimp flavor. Boiled shrimp is also one of the quickest meals I know–throw together some cocktail sauce, a salad, and some buttered bread, and you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and dig in.

Everyone (especially here in south Louisiana) has his or her own favorite method for boiling shrimp. Some people like to use beer; other cooks use lots of different spices. Like most other recipes, I prefer mine simple. Some people object to using prepackaged spice mixtures, but I really like Zatarain’s liquid shrimp and crab boil–a tiny bottle lasts forever, and I think the flavor is subtle enough to provide a nice spicy kick without overpowering the shrimp.

Truth be told, boiling shrimp is one of those things you just have to do until you find the flavor combination that suits your taste. I offer my method here, along with my (ultra-simple) recipe for cocktail sauce, but the most important thing about boiling shrimp is not to overcook them. Texture is key, so don’t let them get soggy!

Boiled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

2 quarts water

1 T. liquid shrimp and crab boil

2 lemons, halved

3 cloves of garlic, halved

1 T. Kosher salt

A handful of black peppercorns

2 pounds shrimp, heads and shells on

In a large stockpot, add shrimp boil, lemons, and garlic to the water. Boil for 15 or 20 minutes. Add the shrimp, and boil for 3-5 minutes. As soon as the shrimp begin to turn pink, remove the pot from the heat, and immediately drain off the water. Let the shrimp cool in the colander a bit, and then cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.

For sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

Juice of 1 lemon

4 t. horseradish

Stir to combine. Peel shrimp, dip, and eat!

Posted: Sunday, November 13th, 2005 at 3:57 pm Filed under: Main Dish, Basic Recipes, Sauces and Condiments, Seafood. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.