Shrimp cooking is a simple process, but often it doesn’t work properly. Everyone who has ever come across tough, rubber-like seafood will understand what is at stake. Many people like shrimp for their versatility, delicate taste and speed of cooking. This is one of the simplest types of protein foods and at the same time luxurious. But just because shrimps are cooked fast doesn't mean you can't spoil them.
Listed below are the errors that are most often made when preparing this product.
Using stale seafood
Fresh shrimp is an extremely perishable product. You must cook them within 24 hours after purchase. If you live in a region remote from the seas, it is better to purchase a frozen product. In any case, if they have an unpleasant odor, do not eat them.
Defrosting shrimp before cooking
Putting frozen shrimp in hot water (or, worse, in a pot of other foods or on the grill) will lower the cooking temperature of your dish. In addition, the seafood itself is cooked unevenly. There is the right easy way to make ice cream shrimp: put them in a bowl of cold water and after a few minutes they will be ready for further processing.
In addition, you can leave them previously in the refrigerator for a day. They will thaw naturally and will be ready to cook.
Dull knife cleaning
If you use a blunt knife to clean shrimp, you will mash and tear them. This is a very delicate product, so the less you process them, the better. Try to clean them from shells with kitchen scissors. In addition, shells help maintain flavor. The most common way to cook shrimp is to boil them in salted water. Thanks to the shells, the meat will remain more tender and juicy. Clean an already cooked product.
Excessive cooking time
There is a general rule: straight shrimp is raw, curled into a C-shape - perfectly cooked, and curled into an O-shaped - digested. Such seafood resembles rubber in consistency and taste. Never cook them to such a state.
What to do with frozen seafood?
You have many options when it comes to making frozen shrimp. They can be quickly thawed, and then cooked in the same way as a fresh product - grilled or pan-fried, or boiled in a pan. Despite the tips mentioned above, a method of making frozen shrimp also exists, but this must be done strictly according to certain rules.
Shrimp thaw quickly, after five to ten minutes, if you put them in a large colander and start pouring cold water. But they can melt unevenly. It is best to place the shrimp in a large plastic bag with an airtight coating before putting them in a colander. Be sure to shake this bag every few minutes to ensure even thawing.
The method of preparation of boiled-frozen shrimp is similar to the processing of raw such product. Gentle and slow heating allows them to thaw a bit before they start cooking, so they won’t stay cold inside. Start by placing the seafood in a pan of cold water, then heat it without boiling. When the first bubbles begin to appear on the surface, turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the shrimp stand for 5-10 minutes. When they turn pink, you can eat them (if you used a raw product).
Use these shrimps in pasta dishes with or without cream sauces. Or refrigerate them to use later in the salad. The perfect combination is with white beans, cherry tomatoes, diced avocado and chopped green onions.
Basic Shrimp Frozen Recipe
Use frozen shrimp in any recipe that involves processing them in any liquid (not only in water, but also in coconut milk, broth or tomato sauce and so on). Instead of adding at the same time as all the other ingredients, put them when the dish is boiling strongly and turn off the heat. Let the seafood thaw completely, it will take about five minutes. Then warm the dish slowly and heat for 5-10 minutes.
This is the basis of shrimp cooking. Below are some recipes for this seafood.
Oven spicy prawns
If you use boiled-frozen seafood for this recipe, pre-soak them in cold water and then dry. This method of cooking shrimp involves the use of hot seasonings. In total you will need:
- 1 clove of garlic;
- 1 teaspoon of salt;
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper;
- 1 teaspoon of paprika;
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice;
- 2 tablespoons olive oil;
- a little black pepper;
- 750 grams of peeled shrimp;
- lemon slices to garnish.
How to make fried shrimp?
Turn on the oven and set the rack in the middle. Mix chopped garlic with a teaspoon of tea salt until a uniform paste forms. Add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a teaspoon of paprika, a tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a little black pepper.
Rub this paste into all peeled shrimp. Fry on a baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. This is the easiest way to cook fried shrimp.
Spicy Garlic Shrimp
For this dish shrimp are mixed in oil with garlic and chopped red pepper. You can cook them for dinner with rice on the side dish. In total for the preparation of shrimp you will need:
- one and a half tablespoons butter;
- 6-7 garlic cloves, minced;
- 20 king prawns;
- ¼ teaspoon chopped red pepper;
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon of tea salt;
- finely chopped parsley for garnish (optional).
How to fry spicy shrimp?
You can use boiled-frozen seafood for this recipe. Cooking boiled shrimp after thawing should be as follows.
Place the oil in a medium-sized skillet and heat at a moderate temperature. Let it melt and start to boil. Then add the garlic and fry until it turns golden brown and begins to emit a strong aroma. Use a wooden spatula to mix the garlic to prevent burning.
Add shrimp to the pan. Fry until they turn reddish-orange. Season with pepper and salt and serve with boiled rice.
Grilled tiger prawns
For this recipe you will need selected large seafood. This is another interesting way to cook shrimp - grilling. Use sharp kitchen scissors to gently peel the seafood. Trim your legs, the hard end of the tail, and long tentacles. Make an incision along the body on each shrimp, but do not remove the shells. Wash the seafood and drain well in a colander.
Place each shrimp on a wooden skewer so that it does not curl during the cooking process. Lay them on the grill and fry until the sink turns red.
Asian style fried prawns
For this recipe, it is better to take large, selected seafood. King prawns are usually cooked by roasting or baking. Serve this dish with green salad and fried asparagus, as well as with a plate of rice, couscous or any other grain side dish. In total you will need:
- 1 bunch of fresh leaf parsley;
- 3-6 garlic cloves;
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped;
- half a glass of red wine vinegar;
- one and a half glasses of extra virgin olive oil;
- 1 teaspoon of salt;
- ½ teaspoon of garlic salt;
- ½ teaspoon of freshly frozen black pepper;
- some red pepper flakes;
- 500-700 grams of large shrimp, peeled.
How to cook it?
Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a food processor until smooth. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for complete cooling. Rinse and clean the shrimp, be sure to remove the shells with a sharp knife or scissors. If you consider the method of cooking boiled shrimp (frozen), just pre-place them in the refrigerator, about a day.
Put them in a glass bowl and gently mix with about half the marinade, cool for 15-25 minutes. If the shrimp begins to turn white, you need to start cooking them as soon as possible. This comes from the acid contained in the marinade.
Take them out of the refrigerator and put them on wooden skewers previously soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Heat a barbecue grill or grill. Be sure to grease the surface with oil. Fry the shrimp for about 3 minutes on each side, depending on their size. Once they turn pink, they are cooked. Serve the seafood with the remaining sauce, freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt.
Fried shrimp with rosemary and lemon
Shrimp are the most popular seafood. Because they are tasty on their own. The easiest way to cook shrimp is to boil them in water with sea salt. However, you can improve them. Just add a few sprigs of rosemary to them, pour over lemon juice and olive oil, and then fry until peachy pink.
As a rule, the appearance of the shrimp is immediately noticeable when they are ready. This indicator is pink, but large seafood may take an extra minute. To check the shrimp for readiness, you should cut it in half: if it inside has become opaque, you can eat it. To cook according to the original recipe you will need:
- 700 grams of peeled shrimp;
- olive oil;
- fresh lemon juice;
- lemon slices for decoration.
How to bake shrimp with rosemary?
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Put a handful of rosemary sprigs on the bottom of the pan, place the shrimp on top. Sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour olive oil and lemon juice. Bake by turning the shrimps once until they turn pink over the entire surface. It takes 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with lemon slices.
"Noodles" from zucchini with shrimp
If you use this recipe, in 30 minutes you will be able to cook a tasty and healthy dish. This is the perfect family dinner on a weekday. The main flavor here is garlic, butter, lemons and shrimp. The main trick is to fry the garlic and red pepper flakes in a small amount of olive and butter, and then place the shrimp in this mixture for a few minutes.
You can easily make this dish even faster by preparing zucchini in advance. When baked, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, and even up to a week, if you put it in an airtight container. If you prepare the vegetable in advance, you can cook a delicious dinner in 10 minutes. So you will need:
- 1 small zucchini;
- 2 tablespoons olive oil;
- 3 tablespoons butter;
- sea salt and pepper;
- 4 cloves of garlic, mashed;
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes;
- 400 grams of shrimp;
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice;
- zest of half a lemon;
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
How to cook shrimp with zucchini?
The preparation of shrimp for this recipe is as follows. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut along the zucchini and remove all the seeds. Pour olive oil over it and season with salt and pepper. Lay the cut down on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of butter with a spoon of olive over medium heat. Put the garlic and red pepper flakes and fry for 30 seconds until the aroma appears. Add to the shrimp and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until pink. Stir with lemon juice, zest and parsley. Season with salt to your taste.
Take a grater for Korean carrots and chop the baked zucchini with noodles. Arrange on serving plates, place spicy fried shrimp on top and serve.