Whether you catch them yourself or buy them from the fishmonger, fresh shrimp are among the most frequently eaten seafood. But how do you cook them for sure enjoyment, whether in the pan, in the oven? How to cook them when they are peeled and frozen? Here are our tips and tricks for tasty shrimp, which will delight the taste buds of young and old.
How to prepare shrimp for cooking?
Are your shrimps fresh? Their flesh should be a beautiful translucent white and their skin bright orange. Depending on your recipe, you can leave the shrimp unpeeled. These will then be easier to shell after cooking and their shell will preserve their flavor.
If you prefer, you can also remove the shell before cooking your shrimp. To do this, gently remove the small legs. Cut off the head with your fingers then peel off the shell before removing it by pulling on the tail. You can easily reuse the heads and shells of the shrimp to make a nice sauce or broth.
Using a sharp knife, make a small cut on the back of the shrimp to release the brown vein. You just have to remove it too.
Finally, rinse your shrimp in clear, cold water. You can now cook them according to the chosen cooking method.
Cook shrimp in the pan
To prepare sautéed shrimp, start by heating a large enough pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When hot, add the shrimp, making sure that they do not overlap so that they cook evenly. Leave them to cook for 2 to 3 minutes so that they turn pink on the pan side. Turn them all over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Your sautéed shrimp are ready when they turn bright pink and their flesh is an opaque white. Then remove the shrimp from the heat and enjoy them immediately.
If you like, you can add spices like curry or herbs like minced garlic and parsley during cooking.
Bake shrimp in the oven
Start by preheating your oven to 220 ° C. After rinsing and draining your shrimp (peeled or not depending on your preference), place them in a salad bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Mix well to distribute the oil over all the shrimp then pour them into a large baking dish to distribute them in an even layer. The shrimp should not overlap. Put the dish in the oven and cook the seafood for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. They are ready when they are very pink and their opaque white flesh. Serve immediately.
To vary the pleasures, you can easily play with the ingredients of the marinade. Combine the shrimp with the juice and zest of a lemon (green or yellow). Add chopped parsley or cilantro or a few sprigs of rosemary, a hint of cayenne pepper, or paprika.
Cook frozen peeled shrimp
Before cooking your peeled and frozen shrimp, it is imperative to let them thaw properly, otherwise, you risk getting a bland porridge. As soon as they come out of the freezer, place the shrimp in a colander then immerse everything in a large bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then drain them and dry them thoroughly in a clean tea towel or paper towel.
You can then opt for pan cooking. In this case, boil water over medium heat. When the water boils, immerse the shrimp in it. Add 40 g of coarse salt per liter of water. You can decorate the cooking water with spices and aromatics to your liking. Then let it boil, stirring regularly, and until the shrimp float. Depending on their size, allow about 2 to 7 minutes. You just have to drain the shrimp in a colander and enjoy.
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