Chef Jim Gray: Shrimp Redundancy

I’m always amused to see the term, “Shrimp Scampi” on a menu because it’s actually a redundancy. Scampi is the Italian word for shrimp (and that’s the plural form of the word – the singular is scampo). In any case, in this country, shrimp scampi usually means shrimp sautéed in garlic butter and served over rice.

Most people think they’re getting a classic Italian shrimp dish, but they’d be wrong. Scampo is certainly related to the shrimp, but it’s closer to a langoustine which is sort of like a miniature lobster.

Nevertheless, I love the versatility of shrimp. But if you’re buying pre-cooked shrimp in the supermarket, you’re missing out on the opportunity to create some fantastic food. Additionally, how do you know that the pre-cooked stuff has been cooked correctly?

I usually buy raw shrimp that’s been deveined, but still has the shell and tail on. The simplest method to cook the shrimp is to bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, add a tablespoon of white vinegar and add the shrimp a couple at a time, so that you do not drop the temperature of the water too much. Depending upon the size of the shrimp, it only takes a couple of minutes and I remove the shrimp immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

When I make any Cajun dish with shrimp, I usually peel the raw shrimp, save the peels (legs, tails and all) and simmer these in a couple quarts of water with aromatics to create a shrimp stock. The raw shrimp are cooked in the pan with butter and/or oil along with a Cajun spice mixture.

Please note that I remove the tail from shrimp always. It’s inedible and for the life of me, I do not understand why restaurants insist on serving shrimp with the tail on. Sure it’s a kind of “handle,” but there’s meat inside there and, more often than not, it goes to waste. I don’t like waste.

I always have raw shrimp in my freezer. It cooks quickly and I can whip up an appetizer in minutes, should unexpected company drop by. Using the boil method I described, I then heat a sauté pan with butter and a little oil, add minced garlic to flavor the fat, add the shrimp, cook for about 60 seconds on each side, just until they get a little color on them, then sprinkle on seasoned breadcrumbs to coat. Voila! Instant appetizer.

For something a little more substantial, here’s my recipe for Cajun Shrimp in Cayenne Butter Sauce:

1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, peels reserved
1 cup of dark beer
1/2 cup shrimp stock or clam juice
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch, combined with 2 Tbsp. water

Combine the cayenne, black pepper, salt, red pepper, paprika, rosemary, and thyme in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter, and add the seasonings. Cook until bubbly. Add the shrimp and coat with the butter mixture. Cook 1 minute. Add the beer and shrimp stock (or clam juice) and cook for 2 – 4 minutes depending on size of shrimp. Add the lemon juice and cornstarch-water mixture to thicken and cook for 1 minute more. Serve in bowls over rice.

To make shrimp stock, save the shells from the shrimp and place in two quarts of water in a saucepan, add a stick of celery, seven or eight black peppercorns, and a smashed clove of garlic. Bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and continue cooking for about two hours until it is reduced by half.

You can see me prepare this dish by going to this Web site: http://kitchenguy.biz/home/cajun-shrimp-in-cayenne-butter