seafood, so Chef Jerry couldn’t have picked a much better starting point.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 .5 pounds of shrimp. (Shell, de-vein. Hang on to the shells)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 stick unsalted butter (8 teaspoons)
• 2 leeks trimmed and split in half lengthwise. (Rinse well!)
• 3 stalks of fresh celery chopped into large chunks
• 2 peeled carrots cut into large chunks
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 strips of orange zest
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1/4 of a cup of brandy
• 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 4 cups of heavy cream
• Sea salt (Kosher will do) and freshly cracked black pepper
• Grate some orange zest (finely) and chop some fresh chives for a nice garnish. Purely optional, but a nice touch.

DIRECTIONS

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Melt the butter into it. Then add the shrimp shells, the carrots, celery, leeks, thyme, the bay leaf, orange zest and tomato paste. Cook – stirring every now and then — until the shrimp shells are red and the veggies are soft. Should take around 10 minutes or so.

Be careful here. And pay attention the instruction to take the pot off of the fire and carefully pour the brandy into the pot. (Really. Take it off of the fire. A liquor spill or fumes near the fire will cause a big problem roughly 99.7% of the time.) 

Now, preferably with a long match, light the brandy. Wait for the flames to die. Place the pot back on the burner and sprinkle the flout into the pot, stir it and let is cook for two minutes more. Next, add water to cover the deglaze while scraping up the fond (brown stuff that adds flava!) of the pot. Now add the cream and bring it to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn down the heat right away to a low simmer until your bisque has thickened. That will take 30 to 45 minutes. One you have achieved a creamy thickness, pour the soup through a strainer and into a clean pot. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, chop the shrimp, return the bisque to a simmer and drop the shrimp into the pot to cook for two or three minutes. That’s all it will take to cook the shrimp. After a final taste — and seasoning adjustment, if it is needed – serve the deliciousness! Add orange zest and chive garnishes at this point.

That’s the way Chef Jerry did it. He loved it. I’m sure you will too. Especially if you like cram soups like She Crab Soup….another South Carolina Low Country favorite.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Unpeeled Shrimp (heads off)
• 16 oz. Bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
• 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Crushed Garlic
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Cup Butter

Makin’ It:

1. Place clean unpeeled shrimp in a glass 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
2. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over shrimp.
3. Add garlic, black pepper and Italian Dressing.
4. Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of shrimp.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes stirring after 15 minutes.
6. Serve with French Bread and call me!

As I write this in order to get it on the web site as quickly as I can, I have not yet tasted it. But simply imagining the combination of ingredients and the cooking method makes me think that I will get the clean, fresh flavor of boiled shrimp from the lemon, garlic and Italian dressing. When the smoothness of the butter hits your palate, the black pepper will slide in to create the depth of flavor.

The the thing I like about simple recipes like this one is the inspiration they create and ideas they foster. Take this idea and run with it, if you’d like;

Several large prawns (unpeeled, heads off) in a sauce pan with the ingredients above, adding a pinch — tiny! — of cayenne pepper. Just enough to wake up the front of the palate. The black pepper base is going to do a tremendous job creating that warmth and depth of flavor at the back of the palate.

Being a fan of dry spice rubs, it wouldn’t take much to imagine this idea being transferred into an intense final output that dry rubs tend to produce. For instance, sear the shrimp — or boil the shrimp, for that matter — and let them cool in the refrigerator. When they are cold, put them on a plate. Add a couple of teaspoons of melted butter, the garlic, then a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, then a teaspoon of black pepper, etc…

Well, I’m outta here. Headed to the store to restock on shrimp and a baguette.

Shrimp scampi recipes, grilled shrimp recipes…you named it. Our aim is to have the best shrimp recipes here in one place for you. Look forward to any comments you would like to add!

Fried shrimp has been one of my favorite things to eat since I was a little kid. And of all the ways to prepare coconut shrimp, fried is still my favorite. For the sake of variety, I’ve also included a couple of baked recipes. One of the baked versions is a diet recipe. Hit the print button and compare them. See which one you’ll have this week and which you might have next week.

FRIED COCONUT SHRIMP

Ingredients

• 1 pound unpeeled, medium-size fresh shrimp
• 3/4 cup biscuit mix
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup beer
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
• Vegetable oil

Making It…

1. Peel shrimp, leaving the tails intact; devein, if desired, and set shrimp aside.
2. Combine biscuit mix, sugar, and beer, stirring until smooth. Set mixture aside.
3. Coat shrimp with flour; dip into beer mixture, allowing excess to drain. Gently roll coated shrimp in flaked coconut.
4. Put about 3 inches of veg oil in a large saucepan; heat to 350°. Cook shrimp, a few at a time, 1 to 2 minutes or until golden; drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.

BAKED COCONUT SHRIMP AND SALSA

A friend sent this recipe for BAKED coconut shrimp. Seems like there might be some health benefits to baking instead of frying, but the ease of preparation was her deal. Instead of standing at the stove forever and frying small batches of coconut shrimp, she prefers putting it all together on a sheet pan and throwing it in the oven to cook while she does other stuff. Or nothing. (I like where she’s coming from!)

She made a big deal out of toasting the coconut first. Said it makes a big difference in the taste of the final product.

The salsa combines a lot of great flavors from The Islands all the way to Mexico. Excellent sidecar!

This serves four people.

SHRIMP

• 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Add Kosher salt, to taste
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on.
• Nonstick cooking spray

SALSA

• 1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple
• 1/3 cup finely minced red onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup pineapple preserves
• 1/2 to 1 miced jalapeno pepper with the seeds removed.
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
• Kosher salt
• • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Panko bread crumbs are stocked in just about any major grocery stores these days or in any Asian market.

Making It…

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
   Spread the coconut evenly on an ungreased sheet pan and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and delicious — about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Pump up the oven to 400 degrees.
3. To prepare the shrimp, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, bread crumbs, cayenne pepper, and salt. Put the toasted coconut in another dish. Put the egg whites in a medium bowl and whisk until they are frothy. Pat the shrimp dry and dip first in the egg whites, then the flour, back in the egg whites, then roll in the toasted coconut.
4. Put the shrimp on the sheet pan and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake it all 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.

To make the salsa,  in a small bowl combine the pineapple, red onion, cilantro, pineapple preserves, jalapeno, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the coconut shrimp.

BAKED COCONUT SHRIMP ON A DIET

Serves Six

Give this version a try if you are trying to cut a few calories here and there.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. extra large shrimp, defrosted, shelled and deveined, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
• Dash of salt
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 3/4 cup coconut
• Cooking spray

MAKING IT…

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray
3. In a small bowl combine cornstarch, pepper and salt
4. In a small microwave safe dish heat up honey for about 30-45 seconds
5. Add lime juice to honey and stir
6. Slowly add in egg whites and continue to stir
7. Place coconut in a thin layer on a pie plate or flat dish
8. Take each shrimp and first dip into cornstarch mixture, then in egg white mixture and finally roll in the coconut
9. Place on the baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray
10. Bake 10-15 minutes or until shrimp is pink and the coconut is lightly toasted

There you go! Give all three a try. It’s research.

Ingredients

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pound shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined

Cook your shrimp in a medium saucepan. Bring a couple of cups of water to the boil. Add unpeeled shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes… or until the shrimp are pink.  Drain then allow shrimp to cool. Throw them in ice to speed things along and stop the cooking even faster.  After they have cooled, remove the shells and devein the shrimp.

After mixing the first four ingredients in a fairly decent sized bowl – give yourself room to work — add cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp. Toss to coat with the mixture. Put them in the fridge for about a half  an hour before you serve.

With this basic recipe, you now have at least three easy ways to go…

1. Make a bed of cool, crisp lettuce – you choose which kind, but our family likes romaine – on a cold plate.

2. Put the mixture on the greens and enjoy.

3. Shrimp Salad Sandwich? Don’t knock it. TRY it!  Just put the assembled salad on a nice croissant or a fresh sandwich roll. Now you have a portable shrimp salad! (Didn’t even know you needed one, did you?)

When tomatoes are in season, , stuff the mixture in a tomato that has recently left a garden near you.

Here are some more ideas for variations on the theme…

• Asian Shrimp Citrus Salad
• Shrimp Salad with Red Onion, Mango and Cilantro
• Shrimp and Macaroni Salad
• Pickled Shrimp Salad
• Thai Shrimp Salad
• Shrimp Curry Salad
• Shrimp Salad with Chow Mein Noodles

Try these shrimp dishes and let us know which you liked best. I would also be interested to hear about any variations and adjustments you made that were particularly satisfying.

Do you have a shrimp salad recipe that you think we should include on the site, just let us know.  Same with any other shrimp recipes! We want to be the best shrimp recipe resource you can find.

Simple Grilled Shrimp – that ROCKS!

• 1-2 ponds of peeled, deveined, cleaned shrimp
• Drizzle olive oil over shrimp
• Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning and rub into to shrimp.
• Place shrimp on skewers for ease of flipping on grill.
• Put shrimp on HOT grill for 1 minute on first side. Flip and cook two or three minutes on other side.
• Adjust cooking times for size of shrimp and your preferences.

The idea is to have nice, translucent / white shrimp when you are finished. It’s fast, delicious and healthy. Everything a meal should be. Serve with some crusty bread and a nice salad for a quick meal that is as good for you as it is delicious. Take this simple idea and try a million variations on the theme.

Here are some ideas to get you started…

Grilled shrimp helps shrimp salad take on a rich new flavor. Similarly, it would work wonders in your favorite shrimp pasta recipe. If you plan to have a cream sauce on your pasta, I would suggest leaving out the Old Bay seasoning on the above recipe.

Shell-On Grilled Shrimp

Same recipe as above, except we are going for PINK coloring on the shell. (In addition to adding lots of flavor, the shell acts as a built in thermometer.)  Also, instead of Old Bay Seasoning, you could try a bit of paprika, salt and pepper. Rub it and let it sit for a minute before slapping them on the grill. A squeeze of lemon goes a long way, too. If you want to take the lemon thing a step further, put lemon halves on the grill at the last minute. The heat releases the juices, as well as adding a little more grill flavor to the lemons.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon kosher (or sea) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper  (careful!)
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons (preferably fresh) lemon juice

Combine everything EXCEPT THE SHRIMP in a bowl. Mix it to form a pretty thick marinade..almost a paste. Toss dry shrimp into the bowl and, um, toss! Make sure the flavoring is all over the shrimp. Let them sit for a minute or two, then put them on a medium fire for two or three minutes per side. When they are white or translucent, they’re done.

The Stuff:

• Large Shrimp – 1.5 – 2.0 pounds
• Clarified Butter – 1/3 to 1/2 cup
• Minced Garlic  — 4 table spoons
• Green Onions, thinly sliced – 5 or 6
• White Wine (Dry) — 1/4 cup
• Lemon Juice (fresh is best)  — 2 tablespoons
• Chopped Fresh Parsley — 2 tablespoons
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Makin’ It:

1. Peel and devein shrimp.
2. Rinse the shrimp and set them aside.
3. Heat the butter in a large skillet, medium heat.
4. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.
5. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice. Cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook.  (‘Poke’ shrimp with finger to feel firmness.)
6. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before it hits the table.

Other Thoughts:

I’m a big fan of lemon zest. Especially with fish and chicken dishes. I like to zest a lemon and toss it in the pan at the very end of this preparation. The flavor, aroma and freshness-boost it gives the recipe is perfect.

A Little History:

Scampo is Italian for Shrimp. Scampi is the plural of Scampo. Now that we have all of that squared away, on to something that you may actually find interesting.

This dish made its way into our country around the end of World War II. Between 1955 and 1960 it started finding its way to big city restaurant menus pretty regularly. As with everything else, there are several versions of several stories about how it was really made in The Old Country. Here are some variations on the theme that you may want to experiment with as you develop your preferences for making shrimp scampi in your kitchen…

Instead of using butter, use olive oil – not extra virgin, though. Some older Italian cooks shake their heads ‘no’ at the idea of adding garlic to shrimp scampi. I have seen some scampi recipes and preparation that call for nothing more than a medium – hot skillet with olive oil and lemon juice, there seems to be plenty of room for interpretation. And that is probably as it should be. Cooking is, after all, art.  So experiment. Have a little fun. You’ll be amazed at what you learn.

Maybe you have seen the TV commercials that talk about “Wild American Shrimp.”  Believe it or not, that isn’t just marketing hype. There really is a difference. Wild shrimp get to swim around a lot more. They also eat seaweed and other things in the ocean that gives them a greater depth of flavor than, say, farm raised shrimp. If you have a choice and your budget can handle it, go with wild American shrimp. You will be able to create more delicious shrimp recipes with them.

When you buy shrimp there are a couple of things to keep in mind that will be helpful.

SMELL: There shouldn’t be any! If you smell anything but the ocean, forget it.

FRESH or FROZEN:  Nothing in the world wrong with frozen shrimp. As a matter of fact, frozen is the best shrimp to buy unless you live on the water where the fresh shrimp live. If you have your choice, pick frozen shrimp that hasn’t yet been peeled and de-veined. The shell will help protect the meat and keep the texture and flavor in tact.

WEIGHT:  A good rule of thumb is that a pound of shrimp that has not been peeled and de-veined will yield about a half pound of meat.

APPEARANCE: Raw shrimp should look translucent. There should not be a color to the flesh, unless it is a tiger shrimp. And they tend to have black markings that look like rings. That is ok for tiger shrimp, but not for any other raw shrimp. Pink OK? Nope. Not until the little beast is cooked.

COOKING: Boiled shrimp should be shocked in ice cold water the minute they come out of the boiling liquid, unless you plan to serve them immediately out of the boil. That will see that the meat stays firm longer.

FACTOID: 90+ per cent of all shrimp in the United States comes from the waters off of the Gulf Coast states, hence the name Gulf Coast Shrimp.

It is delicious and good for you. It is a very versatile ingredient, too. Fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, grilled shrimp,  — I’m starting to sound like Bubba in “Forest Gump” – regardless of your preference, shrimp is one of America’s favorite dishes.

I hope you enjoy these delicious shrimp recipes. If you have one you would like to share, let us know!