I always have more shrimp recipes I want to try than I have shrimp on hand for several reasons. One of the primary reasons I don’t eat shrimp more often is that it is just too pricey and my kids and hubby are not going to be happy with just a few (or four or five) shrimp a piece. The second main reason is that I have heard and read a lot of negative things about the quality of shrimp we eat in this country. See the following Consumer report if you want to be grossed out.
Still, I don’t want to give it up completely, but for years now I have found that I don’t like that taste of most shrimp, which I realize now is imported. Based on reports and my own experimentation, I can say for certain I won’t be buying any shrimp from Asia or Latin America (save Argentina) anytime soon. Lately, however, I have been buying Texas Golf Shrimp and though it is pricier, it actually tastes like good, fresh shrimp! One way to make sure you are buying decent quality shrimp is to see if it is BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice) certified. For more information see http://gaalliance.org/marketplace/consumers/
Finally, this is the recipe I tried last night-a quick and healthy shrimp dish that was perfect for a school night. This recipe comes from Food & Wine’s February 2015 issue.
Ingredients
1 1/4 Jumbo Golf Shrimp
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 chipotle in adobe minced (a small can of peppers in sauce that can be found in the Mexican/Latin section of the grocery store; leftovers can be stored in a container in fridge)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced pineapple (canned or fresh)
1/4 cup minced cilantro (or less if you prefer)
1 tbsp of tequila
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Peel and devein shrimp. The fact that it needs to be peeled and has “veins” also ensures that it is more flavorful. Pat shrimp dry and salt and pepper. Sauté red onion over medium heat for two minutes. Add the can of tomatoes and more salt and fresh ground pepper and cook for three to five minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for approximately five minutes until you no longer see pink though be careful not to overcook. It is easy to overcook shrimp, which makes them tough and chewy, and then you get yelled at by your family. Add the pineapple, cilantro and tequila. Heat through and serve. I served my shrimp with yellow rice and roasted green beans, but was thinking the shrimp could also be served like a taco.
Results
As I mentioned this recipe was quick and easy. The only thing that is a bit of a pain is the peeling and deveining of the shrimp so feel free to buy the pre-peeled if you don’t have the time or desire to slit each little backside and scoop out the slimy, stringy “poop chute” or “sand vein.” Deveining, in any case, is a personal preference. Some claim it affects the flavor while others do not, but there is no health or hygiene reason for deveining.
The shrimp was a hit! The flavors worked very well together and it was spicy, but not too spicy. I would say maybe the tequila is not even necessary if you don’t have it on hand. While my kids love spicy food, they did not like the hunks of onion, and pineapple so for them it was more of a flavoring, rather than part of the meal. Would I make this again? Maybe someday? It was really good, but like I said I have so many shrimp recipes and so few shrimps.
angelajwolfe 