Shrimp must be one of the food world’s great luxuries. It cooks quickly, absorbs flavors well, is low fat and is a good source of protein. There are a couple of different varieties of shrimp, but I divide them into two main categories. Cocktail Shrimp and Salad Shrimp, or Big and Small. Frequently, Cocktail shrimp are bland, rubbery and less than appealing.  Haven’t you ever gone to a restaurant and been disappointed with the quality of the shrimp? I knew that they had the potential to be tender, flavorful and delicious, but I wasn’t quite sure how to get that end result. It took some searching and recipe testing, but I finally came up with a system to cook tasty big shrimp consistently. The secret lies in curing the shrimp briefly with salt and sugar. This was inspired by a recipe found in Sunset magazine, but I have also seen similar recipes in Cook’s Illustrated.

Phoebe’s Salt and Sugar Cured Shrimp
1tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 # peeled and deveined Shrimp, tails on
In our search for a more sustainable way of living it is important to purchase food that supports our long term goals for the future. When purchasing shrimp, try to avoid buying imported, farm raised shrimp, such as Tiger Prawns or Black Tiger Prawns. Instead, look for wild caught shrimp from the U.S Gulf of Mexico and U.S South Atlantic, called white or pink shrimp. U.S. farmed shrimp called ‘Pacific White Shrimp’ or ‘West Coast White Shrimp’ is also a good choice. (The Monterey Bay Aquarium website www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch has a terrific guide to sustainable and safe seafood. Check it out for more information.) If you have questions while shopping your fish market should be able to advise you.

Optional Flavorings
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. lemon zest (about 1 lemon’s worth)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. chopped herbs–Parsley is good and adds a nice note of color while accentuating the lemon and garlic flavor. I have also experimented with basil successfully and a variety of spice rubs, so be creative.

Rinse the shrimp in a colander under cold running water. Next, toss the shrimp with the sugar and salt. Let the shrimp sit in the cure for as little as 20 minutes and up to an hour while you prepare the rest of dinner. I use this time to start cooking rice and set up the steamer for steamed vegetables. Once I have the rest of dinner underway I proceed with the shrimp recipe.
Mince the garlic and zest the lemon. Set aside. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry between two sets of paper towels. Drying the shrimp is important–it will help the shrimp to sear and seal in juices instead of steaming, so don’t skip this step. Toss the shrimp with the lemon zest, garlic, herbs and olive oil.
These shrimp are equally as good when they are pan seared, grilled or roasted in an oven. Whatever cooking method you decide upon the most important thing is to have a hot surface to cook the shrimp quickly. If you are cooking in the oven, pre heat to 425 or 450F and cook for about 5 minutes or so on at pre heated sheet pan. However, I prefer to cook these shrimp on a grill or seared in a saute pan. Heat your pan over a medium high heat and place the shrimp in a single layer in the hot pan. They should start to curl and turn pink almost immediately. The flesh will sear to a light golden brown where it has had direct contact with the pan. Turn the shrimp and sear on the second side. Remove from the pan and serve. Leftovers make a great addition to a lunchtime salad. I also like to toss leftover shrimp with a thin pasta such as angel hair. Serve with a bright, vivacious white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.