Shrimp: 

History, Information, and Two Recipes

"Squilla" is Latin for shrimp.  "Shrimpe" comes from Middle English and meant "pygmy."

Both ancient Greeks and Romans had access to really large specimens and ate shrimp prepared in lots of different ways.  Apicius, an ancient Roman author, collected recipes for shrimp in his cookbook.  History shows that as far back as the 7th century travelers like Marco Polo mentioned shrimp as a staple in Chinese diets.  In Louisiana, harvesting shrimp dates back to the 17th century where nets up to 600 feet in diameter were used to scoop them up from the Gulf of Mexico.

And.... there actually IS a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant and Market that was inspired by the movie Forrest Gump.  As of late 2010, there were 32 restaurants in operation around the world.

There are TONS of restaurants that either have the word "shrimp" in its name or advertises preparing shrimp as its specialty.  For example,  The Shrimp Boat (FL),  Sea Island Shrimp House (TX),  Killer Shrimp (CA),  Frank's Chicago Shrimp House (IL), The Shrimp Basket (AL, FL),  JACK Shrimp Restaurant (CA),   Shrimp 'N Stuff (TX),  Shrimp & Co. (FL),  The Boiling Shrimp (CA),  Shrimp King (NJ),  Goose Island Shrimp House (FL), Mr. Shrimp (NJ),  The Shrimp Station (HI) - the list goes on and on.  It's not surprising that the many of them are based in states close to the ocean that have access to shrimp on a daily basis.  If you were to decide to open your own restaurant that specializes in shrimp-based entrees, you might be hard-pressed to come up with a name that hasn't been used before. 

Today, the U.S. harvests over a half million pounds of shrimps and imports another 200 million pounds each year, more than any other country.  There are more than 2,000 species of shrimp in the world and the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic waters there are five species that are commercially harvested.  Four of those species are recognized by their shell color - white, brown, pink, and red.  The fifth species is "Rock Shrimp," which if found in deep water and have a tough, rock-hard shell - hence the name.   Sometimes shrimp are called prawns, but prawns are a completely different species in the lobster family.

Shrimp can be caught in the wild or farm-raised.  Shrimp that is caught in its natural habitat are found in bays, estuaries, and oceans. The species that are popular commercially in the U.S. are cold water, warm water, and freshwater shrimp.  The restaurant locations mentioned above would verify that fact.

I love shrimp and can always eat it prepared in boiling water with Old Bay seasoning.  I decided to test out some new shrimp recipes that turned out to be delicious, too.  I've included two in this post and  will continue to post any that I feel are noteworthy.  Let me know what you think!

Baked Shrimp in Lemony Garlic Sauce

This simple baked shrimp recipe takes less than 20 minutes and includes ingredients that you probably have on hand or aren't hard to find.  You can serve this dish with a nice artisan bread to soak up any extra sauce you might have.

1 1/4 lbs.large shrimp - peeled and deveined

PAM

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice                                         

 2 tbsp. light butter - melted

3 garlic cloves - minced

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning                                 

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

2 tbsp. fresh parsley - chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Arrange shrimp in a single layer in a 13x90inch baking dish coated with PAM.  Combine lemon juice,  butter, garlic cloves, lemon-pepper seasoning, and red pepper.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are done.  Sprinkle parsley over shrimp. Serve immediately.

  

Shrimp-Artichoke Frittata
This could be an appetizer as well as a meal.  But when you're cooking for just yourself - this recipe is the MEAL - with some to spare for later.  It heats up easily the next day in the microwave.  Like I said, for just me - it was a bonus to have the second meal. Low calorie, too!

4 oz. fresh or frozen raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/4 cup skim milk
4-oz  artichoke hearts - canned or frozen
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups Egg Beaters
PAM
1/4 cup green onion - thinly sliced
1/4 tbsp. parsley flakes
3 tbsp. Parmesan Cheese - finely shredded
1/8 tsp. pepper
Cherry tomatoes - cut in quarters

Thaw shrimp if using frozen shrimp.  For either, rinse the shrimp; pat dry.  Halve shrimp lengthwise; set aside.  Thaw artichoke if using frozen artichoke hearts.  For either, cut in quarters; set aside.  Stir together Egg Beaters, milk, onions, garlic powder, and pepper; set aside.  Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with PAM.  Heat skillet over medium heat.  Add shrimp to skillet; cook shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Pour egg mixture into skillet; do not stir.  As the egg mixture sets, run a spatula underneath.  Continue cooking and lifting edges until mixture is almost set (top will be wet).

Remove skillet from heat; sprinkle with artichoke heart quarters evenly over the top.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Let stand - covered - for 3 to 4 minutes or until top is set.  Loosen edges of frittata.  Transfer to a serving plate; cut into wedges to serve.  Garnish with cherry tomatoes and parsley.  Makes 3 servings.

Thanks for ready my latest post. 

And, as Julia would say. "Bon Appetite!"