One problem with the small, sweet and extremely local, Pandalus borealis, or Gulf of Maine Shrimp, is calling them “shrimp,” a name which cannot come unattached to images of large, firm, fleshy arcs of meat seen breaded and broiled, or lolling off the rim of a bowl full of cocktail sauce. We should call our native version “small, sweet local prawns.” Or, make them exotic: “Crevette Nordique.”
A true New England winter fishery, these pink little, bug-eyed insects are cheap ($2.95 a pound recently), and only available from late December through about March. Yes, they’re tedious, because they’re so much smaller than their Gulf of Mexico cousins - about the size of a child’s finger once shelled - but these are the real local thing, so it’s worth making a few meals from them. Just don’t expect them to do what the Jumbo versions do.
Think of our version of a prawn as a great local resource for flavor. Their shells, along with some onion, celery and carrot, make an amazing stock. Strain it, and throw in some pollock or hake for a delicious local soupe de poisson.
I’ve tossed Pandalus borealis with their shells into a very hot oil and spice-filled pan - chili pepper, oregano, cumin - and set them down Florida-style for everyone to peel and eat. I haven’t done it yet, but certainly there’s a pasta dish waiting to happen, perhaps one involving parsley, lemon and garlic?
Again, these shrimp are small, but filled with sweet flavor, Gulf of Maine flavor rather than Gulf of Mexico. Think wild Maine blueberries vs. cultivated Florida ones.
Lanesville resident and excellent cook, John Tulik, gave me this recipe for Pandalus borealis Cocktail. The recipe is two parts: First preparing the shrimp, which means peeling them, making that divine stock with their shells, gently cooking the bodies in the stock (John taught me to always cook fish by just bringing it up to 140 degrees; the fish will be perfectly cooked and still tender.), then shocking the crevettes in ice water.
Then, Tulik cools the stock, and returns the little guys to bathe in it, grabbing a bit more flavor before serving.
The second part of the recipe is the cocktail sauce. John simply provided the ingredients, and left it to me to decide how much of each, but what I came up with was the freshest, spiciest cocktail sauce I’ve ever tasted. We sponged the last of it up with bits of toast when the crevettes were gone.
Here is the recipe, basically in Tulik’s words, with his helpful notes:
Gulf of Maine Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients:
1 lb. Gulf of Maine shrimp in their shells
white wine (Sauvignon Blanc is best)
1 medium red onion
1 celery stalk
1 carrot peeled
salt (not too much!) and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil: (Be careful as olive oil becomes rancid after three weeks once opened and three months unopened. When buying, reach to the back of the shelf. Trader Joes has a great Spanish olive oil at at high turnover. Never buy “Light” olive oil!)
Instructions:
Peel shrimps and reserve heads and shells.
Dice celery - you may include leaves - carrots, and onions. Put all into a sautee pan with the reserved shrimp heads and shells. Sautee until the skins turn red and the vegetables slightly caramelize. Stir so as not to burn anything.
Add 2 cups white wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for ½ to ¾ hour.
Strain out solids, and bring stock temperature down to 140 degrees. Add shrimps in small batches until they reach 139-140 degrees then shock them in ice water. (This will make them have an excellent texture).
Put stock in a container and put in freezer until temperature drops to 40 degrees.
Soak shrimps in this 40 degree stock for an hour prior to service.
Cocktail Sauce
Ingredients:
ketchup
pure horseradish (not fresh, but without preservatives. Domans is best. (Heather’s note: I used Maitland Farm horseradish from Salem, MA.)
lime juice of 1/2 lime and all of the zest
celery leaves finely shredded
worcestershire sauce to taste
hot sauce to taste
tiny bit of sugar
salt
black pepper to taste
garnish with fresh parsley and lime quarters
plate over large lettuce leaves
