Ocean Isle Beach Shrimp
"Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbeque it, broil it, boil it, bake it, saute it. There’s uh, shrimp kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan-fried, deep-fried, stir-fried…There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp… Shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich…and well, that’s about it…"
- Bubba, Forrest Gump
Shrimp, the waistline-friendly, delectable, crowd-pleasing fruit of the sea, is by far the best selling underwater creature. Shrimp sales account for about 25% of total seafood sold in the United States. Although there are hundreds of species of shrimp, they can be divided into three broad categories: warm water, cold water, and freshwater. Generally speaking, colder water produces smaller and more succulent shrimp. These shrimp inhabit the Northern Atlantic and Pacific regions. Warm-water shrimp are usually larger and less sweet than the cold-water variety. The warm-water shrimp are found along the coasts of the Gulf States. They comprise the majority of domestic shrimp harvested in the United States. Freshwater shrimp are usually the largest in size. These shrimp are also known as the Malaysian Prawn and are raised on farms in Hawaii, California, and other states.
Shrimp are estuarine dependent, meaning that they live in the marshes and estuaries, where it is safe, while they are young. They grow at rapid rates—doubling in size every few weeks! When they are almost full grown, they swim out into the ocean. Shrimp only live about two years, therefore, they are considered to be an annual crop. The amount of shrimp that is harvested varies from year to year depending on the temperatures and amounts of rainfall that we see along the coast. A very cold winter will produce shrimp that are much smaller than normal. Above average rainfall will cause shrimp to migrate into the ocean before they are fully grown.
Shrimp come in a great variety of colors including reddish-brown, pink, deep red, grayish-white, yellow, white, gray-green, and dark green. Due to a chemical reaction with heat, all shrimp will turn pink when cooked. Shrimp are sold by size, from miniature to colossal. The size labeling is determined by how many shrimp constitute one pound. For example, if your purchase is 10 or less shrimp per pound, you would be buying colossal shrimp, whereas there are about 100 miniature shrimp in a pound.
Shrimp are the second-most important economic fishery in North Carolina. In 2000, North Carolina harvested 10.3 million pounds of shrimp, valued at $25.4 million. North Carolina harvests three main types of shrimp: brown, pink, and white. Brown shrimp account for sixty-six percent of the shrimp harvested in North Carolina. These shrimp are harvested along the southern and central coastline They are spawned in late winter and early spring and are usually caught in the summer months. They have a life-span of about eighteen months, and can grow up to nine inches in length.
Pink shrimp are generally spawned between April and July and are then harvested in the spring and fall. Pink shrimp have a maximum lifespan of two years, and can grow to be eleven inches in length. They account for twenty-five percent of the shrimp harvested in North Carolina. White shrimp, which only account for about nine percent of North Carolina’s shrimp population, are spawned between March and November, and are harvested usually in the fall. These shrimp also have a maximum lifespan of two years, but only grow up to eight inches in length.
Shrimp have always comprised a large portion of the Chinese diet. In 1280, Marco Polo observed the abundance of all seafood, especially shrimp, in the Chinese food markets. He carried these observations back into western civilization, and shrimp has now been incorporated into diets throughout the world. Shrimp harvesting in the United States dates back to the 17th century in the Louisiana Bayou. Bayou inhabitants would use seines, which are large nets with sinkers on one side that hang vertically in the water to catch shrimp. The seines were sometimes up to 2,000 feet in circumference so that they could insure they would not miss any of the little delicacies. Today, the United States harvests more shrimp than any other country in the world---about 650 million pounds per year! However, this is still not enough to meet the demands of consumers. On the average, Americans consume 3.2 pounds of shrimp each per year. This demand requires that we import at least 200 million pounds of shrimp per year to meet demand.
As demonstrated in the 1995 mega-hit movie Forrest Gump, shrimp can be enjoyed in every conceivable manner. The movie traces the life of one man, Forrest Gump. He does some incredible things in his life and meets some equally incredible people. One of those people is Bubba Blue, a young Alabamian whose family has been in the shrimping business for as long as shrimping had been a business. Bubba teaches Forrest everything he knows about shrimp and the two decide to go into the shrimping business together. Although the movie is fictional, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company does actually exist today. It is an off-shoot of the movie. The company is an international franchise with restaurants and markets all over America and in Japan and the Philippines. The Company delivers fresh seafood from its markets, as well as cooks and serves it in its restaurants. The closest Bubba Gump Shrimp Company to Ocean Isle Beach is located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Here in Ocean Isle Beach, locals and tourists alike can tell you that among the great seafood creations found in our local restaurants, there are some spectacular shrimp dishes to choose from. The Sugar Shack, located on Hale Beach Road, offers a spectacular Coconut Lime Shrimp that promises to delight your palette. The Isles, located on the far west end of the island, presents a signature Ocean Isle Stuffed Shrimp. If you’re looking for something a little more eclectic, you might try the island’s newest restaurant, Cinelli’s, located on Causeway Drive. They offer a variety of shrimp dishes, including a scrumptious Shrimp Sinatra. Causeway Gourmet, also located on Causeway Drive, prepares a delectable entrée of Shrimp and Grits, a true Southern, low-country delight!
If you choose to dine-in, you may want to try your hand at cooking up a great shrimp dish. Your first stop should be a place to get good fresh shrimp. Capt. Jack’s Seafood on Beach Drive in Ocean Isle is the best year round place for all your seafood purchases. Jack has been a local fisherman for a long time. In the shrimping season, many local small commercial fishermen go out very early in the morning to net shrimp. Later, they come in and sort the shrimp according to size. The shrimp is kept on ice in coolers.. some with heads on and some with heads off. There is a special technique that the fisherman will gladly share with you for removing the shrimp heads. If you choose to remove the heads yourself, you can save money. Often special prices are also offered for 5# purchases. Most days the fishermen or family members will be sitting at their stands along Beach Dr. under cover from the afternoon sun, selling shrimp and sharing stories with those who stop by.
Try these local favorites
Mammy’s Shrimp Scampi
24 large uncooked shrimp (peeled, de-veined, leaving tails on)
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
Lemon wedges
bread crumbs
In a skillet, sauté a few spoons of bread crumbs, parsley and garlic until lightly browned. (Add garlic after a few moments so that it doesn't get brown.)
Add shrimp, marinade and juice from a couple of lemon wedges and cook until shrimp are pink (a few minutes) and juices in pan are bubbling hot.
Serve shrimp with scampi sauce for dipping, and garnish with lemon wedges.
Bubba’s Flamin’ Shrimp Dip
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon A-1 sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon worchestshire sauce
1 1/2 freshly grated horseradish
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 medium onion
Dash of Tabasco
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Place in refrigerator until well chilled. Serve with shrimp.
N’Awlins Barbeque Shrimp
1 lb or a little more of raw large shrimp in the shell
1 stick of butter (melted but not hot)
1 tsp ground rosemary
1 large glove garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 lemon juiced
1 lemon thinly sliced
salt to your taste (maybe salt at serving)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the lemon slices and the shrimp. In two individual baking dishes, create a layer of shrimp at the bottom. Pour an equal amount of the mixed ingredients over the shrimp. Place one layer of lemon slices over the shrimp. Place in oven and bake uncovered, stirring once or twice until the shrimp are cooked, maybe about 15 minutes.
Serve with hot French bread (a must), lots of napkins and a plate for the shrimp shells.
Peel the shrimp shells with your fingers and dip the bread into the sauce while eating the shrimp. You will think you are in heaven.
Butterfly Garlic Shrimp
3 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. med. shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 1/2 peppers, red and green, in thin strips
1 large lemon, peeled and diced
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper
Heat butter in large frying pan. Add shrimp and cook two minutes each side over medium-high heat. Add garlic and season well. Continue cooking for 1 minute. Stir in pepper strips and diced lemon; cook 1 more minute. Correct seasoning, add parsley and paprika; mix and serve over pasta.
The Drunken Shrimp of Charleston
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled
6 red jalapeno chilies, stems and seeds removed, minced
small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup tequila
1 tsp. fresh basil, minced
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
Flour for dredging
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water.
Sauté the chilies, onion, and garlic in the oil until soft, then add the tomatoes, tequila, basil, and cilantro and simmer covered for 30 minutes to make a sauce. Dredge the shrimp in the flour and shake off any excess. In another pan, sauté the shrimp in the oil until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Stir the cornstarch and water mixture into the sauce and heat until it becomes slightly thickened. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue heating for several more minutes or until the shrimp are hot. Serves 6.
Lime in the Coconut Shrimp
16 jumbo shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
1 cup canola oil
½ bag coarsely crushed Tostitos Lime Tortilla Chips
7 oz. shredded coconut
1 cup flour
½ bottle Corona beer
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
Crush tortilla chips until coarsely ground and mix with shredded coconut. Place mixture on plate and set aside. In a bowl, mix flour, beer, and lime juice until blended and lump free. In a skillet, heat canola oil. Dip shrimp in beer batter and roll in coconut mixture until heavily coated. Place shrimp in hot oil and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove shrimp from oil and pat with paper towel to remove excess oil. Serves 6.
Mrs. Jeannie’s "Yummy in the Tummy" Grilled Shrimp
1 lb. shrimp, peeled, cleaned, no tails
enough olive oil to coat the shrimp
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. garlic
2 tbsp. parsley
Place shrimp in marinade bowl or bag. Mix together enough olive oil to cover the shrimp, vinegar, garlic and parsley. Cover shrimp with marinade. Allow shrimp to marinade for at least 1 hour (the longer it marinades, the better the flavor). Grill until shrimp is firm.
|
