by SoPo Seafood's Jacqueline Clark
Not too long ago, Maine Shrimp was one of the most readily anticipated seasons on the seafood calendar. Sadly, we have not had a shrimp season in Maine for many years now.
The species of shrimp (Pandalus borealis) is still wild-caught in Canada, where the waters remain cold enough for the shrimp to spawn in.
The recipe below is one of our favorite ways to enjoy these little shrimp at SoPo Seafood.
Ingredients
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
• ½ lb Maine Shrimp
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• Zest of ½ lemon
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ lb pasta of choice
• ¼ cup of pasta cooking water, reserved
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• Toasted Bread Crumbs, for garnish
Steps
For the Pasta:
• In a large pot, bring 4-6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous pinch of sea salt to the water to taste.
• Add contents of package to boiling water. Stir gently.
• Return to a boil. For authentic “al dente” pasta, boil uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 9 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Before draining, reserve ¼ cup of cooking water.
For the Shrimp Scampi:
• Begin by placing 2 TBSP of olive oil in a skillet to coat. Place the skillet over medium heat. Take care to ensure the skillet heats, but the oil does not burn.
• Add in 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced, and ¼ cup of yellow onion, diced. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
• Add in ½ lb of Maine Shrimp, taking sure to ensure that there are no shells or evidence of bio-debris in the shrimp. Before adding the shrimp to the skillet, I like to blot both sides of my shrimp with paper towel to ensure the shrimp are not excessively wet, thereby adding extra unwanted liquid to the base of the dish, diminishing the flavor.
• Add in black pepper, salt, and lemon zest.
• Sauté the shrimp in the onion and garlic mixture for 3 minutes, taking care to stir diligently.
• Add 1 TBSP unsalted butter to the skillet, and stir until melted.
• Raise the stovetop heat from medium to medium-high, and add in ¼ cup dry white wine. Reduce the heat down to low.
• To the skillet, add in your al dente linguine, ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, and ¼ cup of chicken stock. Stir until all of the liquid is nearly absorbed.
• Add additional lemon zest, parsley, and toasted bread crumbs.
• Serve!
Buy Canada "Maine" Shrimp Online
This recipe was created using SoPo Seafood's Northern Cold-Water Shrimp. Our shrimp is available in 1 lb bags.
These shrimp are peeled and deveined, ready to cook. There is approximately 80 shrimp per lb.
