Shrimply Delicious
There are a lot of blessings that we Floridians take for granted, and for me, it’s access to fresh seafood. And when I say fresh, I mean super fresh, local seafood; not stuff shipped in from hundreds or thousands of miles away. Thanks to weird allergies that have afflicted no one else in my family, I am allergic to all seafood except crustaceans. For you landlubbers, that just means I can only eat shrimp, crab, and lobster. I can’t eat those freshly opened oysters being shucked on my back deck, the grouper my neighbor caught, the redfish and trout my brother and husband just hauled in from their fishing trip…well, you get the idea. I can shuck a bay scallop faster than you can pluck the snappy, blue-eyed beauties from the grass and bring them to the surface. But I can’t eat them.
Occasionally we are fortunate enough to grab a few pounds of Stone Crab Claws. Living a few miles from St. Marks, Florida, where they pull them in from October through May, is one of those blessings I don’t take for granted.
Aside from those rare crab claws, it’s pretty much just shrimp for me. I fry them, sauté them in garlic, make dip out of them, and yes, just plain old boil them. There’s a happy man at my table that has a pile of steaming, “peel and eat” shrimp set down in front of him. Shrimp are fast, easy to cook, and even if you don’t have direct gulf access like I do, they are available pretty much everywhere.
One of my favorite ways to prepare shrimp is to lightly dust them with flour and toss them in my DeLonghi Deep Fryer. I’ve had my fryer since 2010, and I’ve put to rest a couple of fryers before that. The DeLonghi has lasted the longest, and is super easy to clean, thanks to its non-stick surface and pour spout. Fryers get nasty quick, so easy cleaning is a must for me.
Mouth watering yet? Let’s go!
If you have a local fish market, start there. Reliable grocers have many options. Just don’t bring them home and freeze them for later use. If they are not frozen in the store, they were likely frozen on the boat. Plan accordingly. Farmed shrimp might be an exception. Ask your grocer or grab a bag of frozen.
For my husband and myself, I start with a pound and a half of shrimp. That’s with the heads on. You will lose about a third of the weight when the head is removed, so basically, I start with a pound. Try to find shrimp of uniform size. They cook evenly and are all done at the same time. I always choose large shrimp. In most areas that means 31 to 35 shrimp per pound. We bought shrimp labeled “large” last week and had 26 shrimp. Yes, I count. At the fresh market don’t be tempted to buy “boat run” unless you are willing to pick through and separate them by size. I could wax poetic for ages here about signs of freshness (and maybe one day I will) but practice makes perfect. Let’s put it this way, if they don’t look appetizing sitting on ice in the store, they probably aren’t going to be that great on your plate. Does the place smell “funky”? Look at the fish and other offerings. Does everything look like you want to take it home and cook it? Is there a waiting line, or better yet, do you have to take a number? You are in a good place. You are off to a good start. Get to know your seafood people, and ask questions.
I am going to assume you got lucky and got some head-on, fresh shrimp. Take those heads off and drop them in the compost pile. Lots of folks have multiple opinions about what to do with the heads. I compost them.
Next, peel and devein the shrimp. My husband usually peels and I devein.
Place the shrimp in a bowl and shake some Crystal Hot Sauce on them. Toss.
Plug your fryer in. The hottest oil is the best oil. You don’t want your beautiful shrimp floating around in grease. Yuck.
Grab a baggie or other shake-worthy container and add about ¾ cup of flour. I always put too much, but I know I’ll be left with a sticky mess if I don’t add enough.
Drop your shrimp one by one or two by two into the flour and give them a little shake. Continue until all of your shrimp are coated with flour. Now make sure the bag or container is securely shut and shake it for all its worth. SHAKE and cover.
Take each shrimp out and place them on a clean, DRY plate, shaking off excess flour as you go. Try to keep them from touching each other. Let them rest for a few minutes to let the flour and the shrimp have a moment. If you put them in the oil right away, the flour washes off. If you wait too long, your shrimp get gummy.
Now, gently lower the shrimp into the fryer basket one by one or two by two, as quickly and carefully as you can. (Watch me do it here!)
Set your timer for 2 minutes EXACTLY and if you took too long getting them all in there, make it a minute and 45 seconds.
Lift the basket and drop the shrimp onto a paper towel-lined plate. I put newspaper under the paper towel so I don’t waste too much paper towel. Serve with your favorite cocktail sauce. Enjoy!
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* “Bay Scallops” image by Vitaly K is from Getty Images.
Hey!! I miss you!! Thanks for the tip. A few years ago I took Ina Garten’s advise and cooked the shells for a broth. Just too fishy for me, haha!
"...have opinions..." Oh, yeah. Mariannne, honey, rinse those li'l heads (and shells), then sautee them gently with a little butter. When they just turn pink, add 1-2 cups of water. Simmer 6-8 mins, then strain that gorgeous broth into a container for later use in gumbo, jambalaya, Chinese fried rice, or anywhere else a little shrimpiness would be advantageous.
Then compost the heads & shells. :o) Love your posts!