SHRIMP 7 WAYS

For the Thawing

Defrost shrimp in a colander set inside a bowl and place in the fridge overnight, tossing occasionally until defrosted.

For quick defrosting, partially enclose shrimp in a ziplock bag then slowly submerge in a bowl of cold water, closing the zipper as it’s submerged similar to a vacuum seal. Remove as much air from the bag as possible.

Ensure the shrimp are laid flat before returning to the bowl and weighing down.

Either place under cold, running tap water or cover with a few cups of ice. Replace the ice as it melts until the shrimp are defrosted.

For the Peeling & De-Veining

Separate the shell from the shrimp and place in 2 separate bowls.

De-vein if needed.

For the Shrimp Stock

In a large stock pot over medium heat, combine neutral oil and shrimp shells.

After 2-5 minutes or when the shells turn pink, add whole peppercorns. Toast and stir until a fond begins to form.

Deglaze with water. Then add optional ingredients- dry white wine, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, lemon juice and carcass, dried bay leaves, and a sprig of tarragon. Add water to cover.

Cover the pot and bring to a rolling simmer. Reduce to a bare simmer, leave the stock partially covered, and cook for another 20 minutes to an hour.

Strain into a large food container and refrigerate, freeze, or use in recipes immediately.

For the Dry Brine

In a small bowl, combine kosher salt and baking soda.

Transfer shrimp to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with baking soda mixture, tossing until shrimp are fully coated.

Refrigerate shrimp for 20 minutes to 1 hour.

For the Poaching

In a stock pot, add shrimp stock and water, and bring to a rolling boil. Then, turn off the heat, and when the water has settled, add dry-brined shrimp.

Stir, cover, and let shrimp cook for 4-10 minutes depending on their size. The residual heat will cook the shrimp.

While the shrimp are cooking, prepare your ice bath.

The shrimp are finished cooking once they’ve turned pink and firm, and/or their thickest point registers 140 °F.

Immediately transfer the shrimp to the ice bath using a spider. Then, remove from the ice bath and pat dry using paper towels or a lint-free kitchen towel. Cover and refrigerate the shrimp until ready to use for the following relevant recipes.

Reserve leftover shrimp stock for other recipes if not previously refrigerated.

Poached shrimp can be used for shrimp cocktail (see below), shrimp salad, shrimp ceviche, and more.

For the Poaching

Poach tail-on shrimp using the method above.

For the Cocktail Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, whisk until homogeneous, and serve with cold, poached shrimp, tail-on.

For the Curry Base

In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat neutral oil until shimmering.

Add white onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Then, add garlic cloves, and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Add Red Thai curry paste and optionally lemongrass, and sauté until fragrant.

Grate in fresh ginger, cooking until the curry paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Deglaze with a ladle of shrimp stock, chicken stock, or water, scraping fond off the bottom.

Add unsweetened coconut milk and stir. Bring to a simmer before adding Fresno chilies or jalapenos, red pepper, Thai basil, chopped parsley, and fish sauce, and lime juice and zest.

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened or the vegetables are tender but crisp.

For the Shrimp

Add poached shrimp to the curry base and reduce heat to a bare bubble. Turn off the heat, and stir. Cover and heat through, allowing the poached shrimp to reheat.

For the Serving

Serve and enjoy hot on a bed of fresh steaming rice with lime!

For the Sauce

In a stock pot, bring shrimp stock and water to a bare simmer.

Heat neutral oil in a stainless steel or nonstick sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering and almost smoking.

Pat your prepped shrimp dry and space evenly in the pan. Flip once a crust forms. Remove the shrimp once just seared to finish cooking in the sauce, or cook to completion. Set aside.

In the same pan, add the small white onion, scraping the fond from the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with a ladle-full of shrimp stock before adding garlic.

Once the sauce begins to simmer and become fragrant, add tomato pastes. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until the paste starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Then, add Calabrian chiles or fresh red pepper and ladle 1 cup shrimp stock to deglaze. Add heavy cream and stir.

For the Pasta

Add pasta to your shrimp stock and let cook while the sauce simmers. Cook the pasta about 2 minutes shy of the pasta’s recommended cook time (al dente).

Add fresh parsley and fresh tarragon and/or basil to the sauce and allow the sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Once the pasta is cooked but still firm, add it to the sauce and ½ cup shrimp stock, cooking for another 2-3 minutes and adding more shrimp stock as needed.

Cook until the pasta is tender and the sauce has reached your preferred consistency, then season with salt & pepper to taste.

Finally, re-introduce your sautéd shrimp to the sauté pan and heat through.

Serve hot with fresh herbs, and optionally top with freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese.

For the Shrimp

Butterfly the shrimp for maximum coverage. Using a clef knife or a sharp knife, make a continuous cut along the outside circumference of the thawed shrimp about ¾ through the shrimp’s body, leaving a membrane that will hold the 2 halves of the shrimp intact.

Set aside.

For the Breading

Set up your breading station in shallow bowls.

If you’re using a breading crumbs instead of a 50/50 flour/seminola flour mix like the video, make sure you set aside a flour station.

Whisk together beaten eggs, water, and kosher salt.

If using flour/seminola mix, thoroughly coat your shrimp in the flour mix, then egg mix, and finish with the flour mix again. If using breading crumbs, flour, then egg, then crumbs.

Once all the shrimp are thoroughly coated, heat neutral frying oil like vegetable or Canola to 350 °F in a high-walled sauté pan, and fry the shrimp anywhere from 1-2 minutes until shrimp are cooked through and the bread is golden brown and crisp.

Remove the shrimp using a spider and drain on a wire cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Serve with dipping sauce hot and enjoy!

For the Dipping Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl and whisk until homogeneous.

For the Shrimp

Do not butterfly the shrimp for this recipe, but do remove the tails.

Evenly coat shrimp in potato starch, shaking excess starch. Set aside.

For the Batter

Combine potato starch with flour and baking powder. Whisk until homogenous. Wait until you’re just about to fry the shrimp before adding the Wet Ingredients.

Combine chilled vodka and ice water.

Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until consistency is smooth like buttermilk.

For the Frying

Once all the shrimp are thoroughly coated, heat neutral frying oil like vegetable or Canola to 375 °F in a high-walled sauté pan, and fry the shrimp for 90 seconds.

Remove the shrimp using a spider and drain on a wire cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.

For the Sauce

Combine all ingredients and whisk until homogenous.

For the Serving

Toss fried shrimp in sauce until evenly coated. Serve hot and garnish with chopped chives and kosher salt.