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Wild-Caught Shrimp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
YOU CAN barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that’s about it.
— Bubba from Forrest Gump
Photo: Renee Brock/Special to the AJC
Certified wild-caught American shrimp are showing up on menus now, and you’ll see them labeled in grocery stores, too.
You may have seen the commercial on the Food Network: it’s a Bubba Gump kind of solicitation, with shrimp farmers that look like they came from Central Casting telling of how American wild-caught shrimp are the “shrimp you thought you were eating.”
Truth is, you may not realize that a lot of the shrimp in mid-scale restaurants, especially chains, is imported from Southeast Asia. Most upscale restaurants are serving wild-caught shrimp farmed in the United States.
The ad is pretty heavy-hitting, but it makes a good point: if we want to live sustainably, then shrimp need to be on the food chain’s list of local, seasonal foods we eat.
Where’s your favorite shrimp dish? Are you a shrimp and grits gal, or is fried shrimp your thing? What about shrimp cocktail?
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Comments
By Rodney
May 16, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
I’ve never been a fan of the shrimp and grits. FISH a grits, yes. OH yes. But not shrimp and grits.
I love grilled shrimp - I grew up in south Georgia near the coast and we had plenty of fresh, “wild-caught” shrimp. My Mom is partial to the breaded and fried variety, and they have their place but I like the salted, lemon-ed, grilled shrimpies.
Since you mentioned shrimp cocktail, recently I was in Las Vegas having tapas and someone in my crowd ordered the shrimp cocktail. I kinda laughed, thinking it would be the kind-of stereotypical martini glass with shrimp perched on the rim. But it wasn’t.
It was a deconstructed, fresh vegetable and some-kind-of-sauce-I-didn’t-recognize, wonderful dish. Definitely not your parent’s shrimp cocktail.
And oh, have it said it lately … “GO BLAIS!” :)
By fer
May 16, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
Shrimp scamppi is my absolute favorite, but almost anything w/ shrimp in it is delicious! Only scallops are better!
By CarolinaGirl
May 16, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
As long as the shrimp’s hot, I love it. I can eat it plain, straight out of a pot of boiling water but don’t bother serving me shrimp coctail, no matter what kind of sauce it comes with.
By Mutter
May 16, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
Shrimp scampi is great, i agree, but that is because i also love GARLIC.
But my favorite way to have shrimp is Nawlins style BBQ shrimp. Where the shrimp is served with thier heads on and swimming in a brown bbq sauce. Oooo weee!
By Cactus
May 16, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
Cooked
By Cactus
May 16, 2008 5:24 PM | Link to this
Steamed using the recipt on the “old Bay” season box, (with out water) use beer. Beer fomes and gets around the shrimp, hence steaming not boiling. Works for crabs also.
By D
May 20, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
Shrimp Fra Diablo
By MB
May 20, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this
BBQ Shrimp, a knock-off on a Paul Prudhomme recipe.
By scott
May 22, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
shrimp stuffed mirlaton are a holiday traditon at our house. a whole lot of work but these tasty stuffed squash south louisanna delicasies make an instant creole impression.