One thing I love about vacationing on the coast is the availability of fresh caught seafood. Shrimp are one of my most favorite seafood items, so I take full advantage when I have the opportunity. This recipe is a wonderfully simple way to prepare shrimp so that you can really appreciate their flavor without a lot of other ingredients getting in the way. Don’t get me wrong, I love shrimp in just about any dish (pasta, enchiladas, stir fry, etc.) but as they say, sometimes less is more. I suppose these technically aren’t truly steamed shrimp since they are thrown into boiling water, but since that was the title of the original recipe and I don’t know what else to call them, I’ll go with that. Be sure to remove the shrimp from the water as soon as it returns to a boil, as they can overcook easily and you don’t want tough and chewy shrimp. I went simple with the side dishes for this as well and served it with a Caesar salad and some crusty bread. It made for a fabulous and incredibly quick meal. Yum!
Steamed Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 quarts water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
Black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 lb. large shrimp, shells left on
Old Bay (or other seafood seasoning)
Lemon wedges and cocktail sauce, for serving
Directions:
Combine the water, vinegar, peppercorns and bay leaves in a stockpot or large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water returns to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and drain the water. Remove the bay leaves and toss the shrimp with Old Bay seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter and serve alongside lemon wedges and cocktail sauce.
Source: adapted from À La Carte
