Inland Shrimp Farm Owner/Manager Offers Recipe, Cooking Tips
Shrimp is frequently what’s for dinner in David and Nadine Teichert-Coddington’s Greene County home, and that isn’t surprising, considering they have 20 ponds filled with thousands of Pacific whites right in their front yard.
Nationally, though, the vast majority of shrimp consumption occurs in restaurants, Coddington says, and he thinks he knows why.
“Many persons are timid about cooking shrimp at home,” he says. “But they shouldn’t be, because, in fact, shrimp are so simple to cook.”
The biggest mistake people make with shrimp, of course, is cooking them too long.
“Don’t be tempted to do that, because overcooked shrimp get tough and lose their flavor,” Coddington says. “My advice is to sample the shrimp as you cook them and take them off the heat while they’re still tender, because they continue to cook after they’re removed from the heat.”
If that’s his No. 1 shrimp-cooking tip, here’s No. 2: For maximum flavor, always use sea salt instead of table salt.
The beauty of shrimp, Coddington says, is that you can cook it dozens of ways, and all of them taste good. This recipe that was passed along to the Teichert-Coddingtons by a friend is just one for-instance. Serve this delicious but messy dish with French bread for dipping and a full roll of paper towel close at hand.
Cajun Barbecued Shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons shrimp and crab boil seasoning
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 pounds large fresh shrimp, shells on
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium; add butter and all remaining ingredients except shrimp. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the shrimp in a lightly greased 9- by-13-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over shrimp and stir once to coat shrimp. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring twice. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.
