BIG TIME FOR SHRIMP 

Until the past few years, our choices of shrimp weren’t much better than the paint jobs available to Model-T Ford owners almost a century ago—any color as long as it’s black. Well, at least I could specify size. Today, thanks to technology, transportation and refrigeration, the shrimp world is anything but shrimpy. You can get white, pink, brown or black shrimp. Shrimp from Thailand to the Gulf of Mexico. Farm-raised and ocean caught shrimp. Live, fresh or frozen shrimp. Shrimp with heads on or off. 

Head-on shrimp, for example, has taken shrimp flavor to a new level. When I sucked on the heads of fresh white Louisiana Gulf shrimp (“Gulf” shrimp almost always means shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico), the earthy, primal taste reminded me of an old Burgundy. Most Americans have never even seen head-on shrimp. But, notes Marshall Shnider, whose Farm2Market sells the Louisiana shrimp, “Cultures that eat a lot more shrimp than we do wouldn’t dream of eating it without the head. It’s like the difference between fish on the bone and fish fillets.”

There are over 2000 different species of shrimp in the world, most falling into four categories: white, pink, brown and black. White shrimp may come from the Gulf (Penaeus setiferus), Latin America (P. vannamei), or China (P. chinensis). Many chefs pick the Gulf or Latin American (Mexico or Ecuador) white as their go-to shrimp. Many also choose Ocean Garden as a brand they trust. The frozen Ocean Garden Gulf whites I bought were delicious, slightly briny and sweet. I liked them a lot more than the frozen Bee Gee brand Gulf pink Shrimp (P. duorarum) from Guyana, which were bland and mushy. But that doesn’t mean whites are always the best.

“It’s regional preference. For example, pinks sell better in Florida than anywhere else,” says Les Hodgson of Marco Sales in Brownsville, Texas, which handles brown shrimp (P.aztecus). However, says Hodgson, wild shrimp almost always taste better than farmed shrimp. “The salinity of the seawater gives them more flavor,” Hodgson says. Ocean shrimp also grow more slowly, which, like grapes with long hang time, adds to their flavor. (As of September 2004, the United States Department of Agriculture will require that shrimp be labeled farm raised or wild.)

While farming in Asia and South America has produced a glut of cheap shrimp in the past five years—about 88 percent of all US shrimp is imported and approximately half of that is farmed—we are seeing outstanding (and pricey - upwards of $20 a pound) shrimp that chefs covet, such as red Spanish shrimp, Maya brand white shrimp from the Pacific coast of Guatemala, and giant tiger prawns from the South Atlantic.

Supermarket specials on shrimp are most likely black tiger (or just tiger) shrimp (P. monodon), farmed primarily from Thailand but also from Indonesia, India, and Vietnam. They are generally gray or a bluish gray with black stripes. Though they may look fresh, they were frozen, as are about 99 percent of all shrimp. If cooked properly, they can have passable flavor, sort of like supermarket beef.

However, Empress International of Port Washington, NY farms a variant of the tiger prawn in Madagascar under less stressful, lower yield conditions. As a result, these Xcellent brand gambas head-on shrimp are far superior to the farmed tiger shrimp from Asia. Simply Seafood in Seattle, Wash. started selling giant (14 to 18 in a 2.2 pound block) ocean-caught tiger prawns earlier this year. These mini-lobsters are meaty and sweet and perfect candidates for summer grilling.

Shrimp freeze better than fish, though the sooner they are frozen the better. Maya head-on shrimp are caught off the Pacific coast of Guatemala and frozen “within 15 minutes of catch,” says Domingo Moreira, president Ladex Corporation in Miami, Fla., which sells the shrimp. They, along with those fresh Louisiana shrimp, are the finest I’ve ever eaten. Big and beautiful with an orangey-pink shell when cooked, they have a sensuous, buttery flavor that requires nothing more than salt to enjoy them. Browne Trading of Portland, Maine freezes Maine sweet shrimp for sale after the short season in winter when they are fresh. Sweet is the operative word for these morsels, which are like ocean candy.

At Tocqueville restaurant in New York, chef Marco Moriera (no relation to Domingo) uses those fresh sweet Maine shrimp as part of a sashimi plate with creamy sevruga caviar dressing and fresh grated wasabi. He also pairs jumbo Hawaiian prawns with seared tuna, broccoli rabe and garlic emulsion. “Shrimp on the menu pushes a button with people. If a dish includes shrimp, it sells out,” Moriera says.

Though her everyday shrimp is a frozen Gulf white, Ronnie MacQuarrie, executive chef of Southpark restaurant in Portland, tries to get seasonal fresh shrimp such as Alaskan spot prawns when she can. “They’re softer with a sweeter flavor, more like lobster,” says MacQuarrie, who tosses the prawns with fresh pappardelle pasta, fava beans and a clementine beurre blanc. (The terms prawn and shrimp are interchangeable, though Americans tend to use the latter.)

Shrimp are sold by the number per pound. For example, a pound of 26-30 shrimp will contain between 26 and 30 shrimp,. Shrimp labeled U-10 have under 10 per pound. Look for firm and moist (not soggy) shrimp with no off odors, especially ammonia. The shells should have no black spots or yellowing and should not feel gritty. Other than to pacify the squeamish, shrimp heads are lopped off because they deteriorate faster than the body. Use head-on shrimp within 48 hours, or remove the heads and put the shrimp on ice over a drip pan.

Boiling is the simplest way to cook shrimp, keeping four things in mind. First, leave the head and shell on for added flavor. Second, cook the shrimp in a court bouillon or with a crab or shrimp boil mix. Third, put the shrimp in at the boil, let them return to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Shrimp that are 21-25 count will take about two minutes after the broth returns to a boil; larger shrimp will take up to five minutes or more. Taste one shrimp. It should be firm and juicy. Then remove the shrimp to a tray to cool. Rinsing dilutes the flavor.

Keep those shells on when grilling, too. Baste with oil or butter and grill about three minutes on each side, unless the shrimp are unusually large.

When eating head-on shrimp, grab the body in one hand and the head in the other. Twist off the head. This will give you some meat and the pink pancreas from the head (which you’d lose if you slice off the body.). Suck on the head, then peel and eat the body.

Shrimp, as with most seafood, requires wine with some acidic backbone and little or no oak. That makes Riesling a natural; choose a Kabinett style for lighter presentations and a Spatlese for richer dishes, which also worked well with an Alsatian Pinot Gris. A Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc did a creditable job, though a Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was better. For scampi, I liked Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio, and surprisingly, a Macon Villages. Prosecco is a great choice for shrimp hors d’oeuvres. These are but a few options. Combined with all those shrimp, that puts us way ahead of those Model-T owners.

Addendum: Since this story appeared in the July 31, 2003 issue of Wine Spectator, I found out a bit more information about the very high quality Ocean Garden shrimp I mentioned in the story. Ocean Garden is the largest producer in the Mexican Shrimp Council, a confederation of companies that sell wild and farm raised shrimp. These companies have banded together to maintain standards and increase awareness of their product. I also subsequently tried and liked Compass Pacific Coast Wild Brown Shrimp. For retailers in your city that carry this Mexican Shrimp, which is frozen with heads off, call 888-639-0009 or email info@mexicanshrimp.org.  

How to mail order great shrimp.

TThis article first appeared in the Wine Spectator on July 31, 2003.