Shrimp is one of the most beloved seafood in the United States. They are great as appetizers, salads, pasta dishes, with grits, sauces, rice, or simply sautéed, baked, grilled, or (breaded) and fried.
Local chefs use them fresh or frozen to create delicious meals. From seafood dishes, pasta dishes, as pizza toppings, in paellas, with spicy Fra Diavolo sauce, to simple fried or grilled varieties.
This type of shellfish goes perfectly with Alfredo and Fra Diavolo sauce, in a protein-packed Caesar salad, or with a few simple condiments and seasonings like butter, olive oil, and garlic.
While we call it a shrimp in America, in the UK the common term is a pawn. Technically, the two aren't the same, but they're similar enough to be interchangeable.
The preparation method includes removing parts of the shrimp such as the shell and tail.
As for the cooking process, shrimp can be grilled, fried, boiled, and baked. Oh, and, putting it on a barbeque is a great option, too.
Also, depending on how long it's been cooked, the texture would vary from soft to rugged.
One thing to have in mind though is that shrimp can be a cause for allergies.
The consumption of shrimp has been a thing since ancient times. Indeed, evidence points out that Greeks and Romans enjoyed it as a dish circa the 5th century AD.
Shrimp recipes were included in the Apicius, the famous Roman cookbook from that time. Apparently, the Greeks and Romans had different methods of preparing it.
Needless to say, the use of shrimp as food has been present worldwide. And as fishing tools evolved, the availability of the dish increased immensely.
In regards to America, people initially used the southern waters as a great source of this seafood. But as mechanical harvesting became an option in 1917, it spread to the coasts as well.
Consequently, shrimp became way more available and popular.
Today, statistics show that over 650 million pounds of this seafood are harvested in the US each year. In addition, 200 million pounds get imported.
This speaks volumes about how much Americans love shrimp.
As mentioned earlier, shrimp is consumed all around the world. And with that, we have many varieties of the dish. In different countries, some are more popular than others:
- Mexico - They have the so-called cahuamanta, often cooked as a soup or tacos. - China - One of the most popular varieties they have is the drunken shrimp. - Japan - The ebi furai is just one of the notable versions you can enjoy in Japan. - Canada - Carrying a really cool name, their dynamite roll usually features a piece of tempura. - Philippines - As big fans of shrimp, they too have many popular options. One of them is okoy. - Australia - The prawn roll is made of a roll stuffed with peeled prawns, lettuce, and sauce. - Sweden - Their toast skagen is quite the famous appetizer. - Brazil - Brazilians like to enjoy shrimp as featured in the dish vatapá.
Of course, this is just to name a few, but there are definitely many more varieties (such as shrimp scampi) out there.
Shrimp is low in calories and food energy but is full of proteins. In a 3-ounce serving, there are 84 calories and 18 grams of protein. They consist of other beneficial nutrients such as selenium, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, magnesium, and more.
However, they have high levels of cholesterol, too (166mg in a 3-ounce serving). Nevertheless, shrimp is high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants which promote heart health. Altogether, this diet has positive health effects, as proved by various studies and research.
As always, we at Slice have some great restaurant recommendations where you can find the dish we've talked about.
Thus, for those of you in Chicago, we suggest Coluta's Pizza. This noteworthy place is located on Harlem Ave. You can give them a visit or order for takeout or delivery via Slice and even save 5%.
And if you're in Las Vegas, then you gotta check out Frank's Pizza Restaurant. You can find it on S Rainbow Blvd or order for pickup or delivery on Slice and get 10% off!
My shrimp parm hero was delicious. It came with huge shrimp, lots of mozzarella and sauce.
Question:Is shrimp healthy to eat?
Question:What’s the difference between shrimp & prawns?