Last week, as I waited at the counter at my local market, I overheard a conversation between a butcher and two men planning dinner. Over and over, they asked where things were from. Finally, they settled on pork.
“Bone in or boneless?” the butcher asked.
“Which is local?” one of the men queried.
“Both.”
“OK, we’ll take bone-in.”
I smiled. The conversation revealed so much. First, that they are thoughtful about the source of their food, and second, that they understand meat is always best when it is cooked on the bone.
We should all be thoughtful about where the foods we eat are from, and it is not always a simple thing, especially if you are just recently beginning to pay attention. When it comes to produce, farmers markets and farm stands are the best bets, which is pretty much the de facto foundation of this column.
But what about seafood? Unfortunately, there is no single rule. For years, wild seafood has been considered best for the environment and for human health, but that is no longer the case. Certain fish and shellfish are now being farmed in environmentally responsible ways.
If you eat a lot of seafood, your best resource is Seafood Watch, a project of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. When I set out to write about shrimp, I checked the website for the most up-to-date information. Three pages are devoted to shrimp, with details on best choices, good options and species and sources to avoid, whether because of harmful farming methods or other considerations. Part of the value of the site, seafoodwatch.org, is that they don’t simply give blanket recommendations. Before you give any of these recipes a try, please take a look.
Given that it often feels like midsummer these days, I’ve been thinking about my favorite hot-weather foods. This is a favorite, especially when the temperature reaches above 90. I don’t recommend substituting a different lettuce for the iceberg, as it contains a lot of water and helps make this dish so refreshing.
Shrimp Salad for a Hot Day
Serves 4
1 pound wild-caught cocktail or salad shrimp, such as Oregon baby shrimp, cooked
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
½ cup pitted California-style black olives
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 paper-thin lemon slices
1 tablespoon brined capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon brined green peppercorns, rinsed and drained
Black pepper in a mill
¼ head iceberg lettuce, shredded with a sharp knife
Lemon wedges
Put the shrimp into a medium bowl; add the garlic, olives and olive oil and toss gently. Cut the lemon slices into little wedges and add them to the shrimp, along with the capers and peppercorns. Toss and season with several turns of black pepper. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
To serve, divide the shredded iceberg lettuce among individual plates. Top each portion with some of the salad and its juices. Garnish with lemon wedges and enjoy right away.
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These shrimp are delicious and messy, as so much truly great food is. You should serve the shrimp over steamed rice, pasta, white beans or even toasted hearth bread, to soak up the scrumptious juices.
Lime-Garlic Broiled Shrimp
Serves 2 to 4
2 pounds large shrimp, deveined but not peeled, heads removed
Kosher salt
Black pepper in a mill
1 stick salted butter, preferably local
10 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce
Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack in the top slot, closest to the broiler.
Put the shrimp in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, toss and set aside.
Melt the butter in a small saute pan set over medium heat, add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the lime juice, taste, add more lime juice as needed to suit your preferences and pour the mixture over the shrimp. Turn the shrimp in the butter until they are evenly coated and then arrange the shrimp on a sheet pan that will hold them in a single layer. Pour all the butter and juices that have collected in the bowl over the shrimp.
Set the sheet pan on the top oven rack and broil until the shrimp just begin to sizzle and turn pink, about 2 minutes. Working quickly, pull the pan from the oven, turn the shrimp over and return to the broiler. Cook until the shrimp lose their translucent sheen and are fully pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Rinse and dry the bowl.
Put the cooked shrimp into the bowl, add the cilantro and toss. Taste and season with salt, as needed.
Serve immediately, with hot sauce alongside.
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If you’ve spent any time on the north side of Oahu, you have passed several shrimp trucks, including the most famous, Giovanni’s. At certain times of day, the aromas of garlic, butter, and shrimp fill the air as you drive past. If you haven’t stopped, you have a lot more will power than I do.
May 12, 2021 at 06:44AM
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Savor shrimp salad on a hot day - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
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