REALLY SIMPLE SHRIMP
Shrimp is as common in my freezer as tri tip and chicken! Peeled, cleaned and de-veined shrimp are available in almost every grocery freezer section and are equally as affordable as other meats. My favorite shopping spots for quality and cost savings are the big bag of medium raw, peeled, and de-veined at Costco (they are in a blue bag) and also the brand that is carried at WalMart.
Fresh is always better, but you'll find that at most grocery seafood counters in Bakersfield and in other non coastal cities that the price point will indicate "previously frozen". Once seafood or meat has been thawed it from frozen it is not advisable to re-freeze it so just stick with the frozen in the bag- it is convenient and you won't have to worry about it.
With that said, when you're ready to use it, the best way to thaw is with water. I put a large bowl in my sink and then set a large colander inside it and fill with WARM not hot water. Dump in the shrimp and just move it around with your hand and let it sit a bit. Even a large bag will thaw within 5-10 minutes.
To get the tails off, is easy, before pulling on them, give a bit of a squeeze at the tail portion closest to the meat and pull at the same time. You will feel the tail almost release on its own. Or if you are going to bread or grill its okay to leave the tails on while cooking. Also, give them a rinse to remove any additional sediment or scales.
Ingredients:
Raw, de-veined, cleaned shrimp
2-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Seasonings of your choice (change up the flavor from Asian, to Mexican, to Caribbean or BBQ!)
1 whole green bell pepper cut into medium chunks
1 whole red bell pepper cut into medium chunks
1 whole yellow bell pepper cut into medium chunks
1 c. yellow squash or other squash
1 medium onion cut into medium chunks
3-4 cloves of garlic
Getting started:
The first thing I do is prepare my shrimp. Rinse and remove tails and strain excess water. I prefer to do a short marinate on my shrimp which includes the seasonings I've chosen, 1/2 the olive oil and the juice from 1 small lime or lemon. Let that set in a bowl while you prepare your vegetables. Shrimp cooks quickly so we will start cooking the veggies first.
Cut your veggies in the same size chunks, this allows them to cook at the same pace. Add garlic at the end to retain some of its flavor. You can dice or press your garlic. Dicing will lend a sweeter more roasted garlic flavor, pressing makes the oils come out and produces a more pungent garlic taste.
Add veggies and remaining olive oil along with any seasoning to your pan. I like a wok style pan, but any non stick pan will do. Make sure that your pan is large enough to accommodate all your ingredients. I would recommend a 12" skillet. Heat pan on high heat before adding veggies. They should sizzle when entering the pan.
Cook veggies to tender and then add shrimp. Drain shrimp marinade before adding them to the pan. Cook shrimp until they are just pink. Serve and enjoy!
Blessings,
3.1runmom
