Ingredients
Rock shrimp
Other Names: Boucot ovetgernade (French); brown rock shrimp; camarón de piedra (Spanish); furchen-geisselgarnele (German). Sicyoniidae.
General Description: Rock shrimp (Sicyonia brevirostris) get their name from their rock-hard shell. A deepwater cousin to the shrimp, their meat is quite firm, more lobsterlike, and lower priced than other shrimp. Shrimpers started pulling these up as a bycatch in the 1960s but kept them for themselves, figuring people wouldn’t be able to crack the shell. When a gadget was invented to split the shell and devein the shrimp, they started to gain popularity. Rock shrimp are harvested by trawling with reinforced nets to protect against the coral and rocky bottoms where they live.
They are commonly served as “popcorn” shrimp in chain restaurants.
Locale and Season: Rock shrimp are found from Virginia to the Yucatan. Rock shrimp are mostly fished in the late summer
and fall.
Characteristics: Because they are so difficult to peel, almost all rock shrimp are sold peeled. Rock shrimp meat is transparent white with fine pink or purple-tinged lines. It has
delicate, sweet flavor.
How to Choose: Look for rock shrimp with mild, briny smell. Rock shrimp are generally small; the largest size is usually 21 to 25 per pound. Avoid rock shrimp with black spots or orange striping, an indication that they have been mishandled.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days in a container surrounded by crushed ice.
Preparation:
1. Rock shrimp are sold already peeled and cleaned, making them easy to cook.
2. Sauté, boil, broil, or deep-fry. The small size of rock
shrimp makes them cook very quickly.
Suggested Recipe: Popcorn Rock Shrimp (serves 4): Combine 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, and salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Add 1 pound peeled rock shrimp and toss well. Cover and chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Drain. Combine 1 cup cornmeal with 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning. Dredge the shrimp in the cornmeal mixture, coating them evenly and tapping off any excess. Heat 1 quart canola oil to 365°F in a large, heavy pot. Fry the shrimp a few at a time until crispy, about 3
minutes each. Drain on a wire rack and serve with lemon wedges.
Flavor Affinities: Basil, brandy, butter, capers, chervil, chiles, coriander, cream, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, oregano, saffron, shallot, tarragon, thyme, tomato, white wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
