Shrimp 100 Ways

[Bakemaster]

I love shrimp. Who doesn't?* The mention of scampi in another thread today made me think, gee, I'd like some shrimp now. Here's the problem: with the exception of simple boiled or grilled shrimp, all the recipes I'm used to cooking have some significant dietary problem, whether it's too much fat (scampi, popcorn), too much cream (alfredo, chowder), or too dependent on being served over/with a mound of carbohydrates (fried rice, carbonara).

So, why don't I just find some handy website to browse? Fact is, I'm tired of turning to the internet for recipes. I want some human input. I want a recipe recommended to me by someone I know and whose opinion can be trusted more than "Southernbelle51" whose review states "ur husband will luv this 1!!!"

So, INTERNET: Do my bidding!** Ground rules:
- You must have tried the recipe (and hopefully liked it).
- It needs to be unique to count toward 100. Bisque and chowder, for example, deserve separate mention but still count only once— after all, we could list 100 variations on alfredo alone in short order if we wanted to.
- It should involve shrimp/prawns as the main ingredient. Lobster, crab and other shellfish need not apply (this excludes paella, for example).
- It should be achievable in a home kitchen, with ingredients that could reasonably be gotten in a major city (so "that amazing thing I had at dim sum" is probably out).

If we eventually reach 100 unique preparations, that would be pretty cool. Right now all I'm actually looking for is something that doesn't depend on simple carbs, butter, olive oil or cream (low glycemic index and load would be particularly groovy), and I got a bit carried away. This is what happens when Bakemaster gets laid off—go cry to the state of California.

Let's start the list off with some standards. They may have many variations, but each one has a well-defined traditional recipe or style. If you have an especially good recipe or variation, by all means, share it—as long as it's a recipe you've actually cooked. We all know how to google "alton brown shrimp" already.

Boiled Shrimp (see also: Cocktail)
Grilled Shrimp (see also: Kebab)
Popcorn Shrimp (see also: Coconut Shrimp)
Scampi
Shrimp Alfredo
Shrimp Bisque (see also: Chowder)
Shrimp Carbonara
Shrimp Fried Rice
Shrimp Gumbo
Shrimp Risotto
Shrimp Salad, Deli
Shrimp Salad, Green
Shrimp Sushi (see also: Sashimi)
Shrimp Tempura

*PROTIP: This is a rhetorical question. If you're about to post that you don't like shrimp: You Fail It. Your input is null, obnoxious, unhelpful, unintelligent, unironic and absolutely useless to the thread. Go directly to FaiD, do not pass S/FI, do not collect post count.
**Experience has taught me that this is a perfectly reasonable attitude to take regarding technology.

[PAstrychef]

Shrimp with cabbage and chestnuts, from Bittman's The Minimalist. I've made it several times and it's lovely. What with the cabbage it doesn't really need more carbs.
These days getting peeled chestnuts is pretty easy. Trader Joe's has them vacuum sealed year 'round. I have also found them at ethnic markets.

Stir Fried Shrimp with Chestnuts
November 8, 2008, MARK BITTMAN, THE NEW YORK TIMES
Chestnuts are rich, starchy and stunningly delicious, and a few go a long way. I love this stir-fry, in which I combine them with a few shrimp, some cabbage and spices. And this is the time of year to make it.
Time: 30 minutes, with shelled chestnuts

1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1/2 cup shelled chestnuts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt to taste
1 lb shredded cabbage
1 clove garlic, sliced, plus 1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup water plus 2 tbsp water
About 12 large shrimp, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tsp dark sesame oil

Heat a third of the peanut oil in a large skillet. Add chestnuts to pan, along with a pinch of salt, and cook over high heat until they begin to brown and slightly crisp. Remove and set aside.

Add another third of the oil, followed by the cabbage and the sliced garlic; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until cabbage begins to brown. Add about 1/4 cup water and continue cooking for another 3 or 4 minutes, until cabbage has softened. Remove and set aside.

Add remaining oil to pan, then add shrimp, minced garlic, ginger and a little more salt; cook until shrimp is just pink.

Return chestnuts and cabbage to pan, along with a couple more tablespoons of water and the soy sauce. Cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Add scallions, stir, drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

[Bakemaster]

I've been looking for chestnuts to try that recipe out, but no luck so far. The nearest Trader Joe's is an hour away, unfortunately, and the local natural foods store I was at today doesn't carry them.

[PAstrychef]

Check out your local ethnic markets. I've found them in Italian, East European ans Asian markets. Mostly they're vacuum sealed in a foil bag. Sometimes they're roasted, sometimes steamed-it doesn't matter. You can use fresh chestnuts, but peeling them is a PITA. You can also order them online-find a supplier close to you for the cheapest shipping.

[PictureSarah]

We, uh, don't exactly have local ethnic markets. We live in a town of 3500, that is mostly homogenously white, and the only ethnic populations of any size at all are Latino and Native American. We may have to order online.

[voidPtr]

Can I break up the shrimp-fried rice into Chinese and Thai/Vietnamese style? I think the tastes are considerably different.

[PAstrychef]

We, uh, don't exactly have local ethnic markets. We live in a town of 3500, that is mostly homogenously white, and the only ethnic populations of any size at all are Latino and Native American. We may have to order online.

Well, here's a place you might make a day trip to:
chestnut ranch

[PictureSarah]

That place is a 4 hour drive from our house (when I say Northern California, I actually mean Northern California, not Central), but I suppose if we were THAT interested in obtainining some chestnuts the old-fashioned way, we could do it. I think we'll try the Trader Joe's (a mere hour and 15 minutes away) first. Perhaps on our tour of schools Bakemaster is interested in we could stop there.

[PAstrychef]

Sorry, as a midwesterner I have only the faintest grasp of CA geography. A visit to trader Joe's is always fun in its own right. Do you stock up like folks in Alaska visiting Anchorage?
And to stay remotely on topic, last night I made shrimp in a dill burre blanc (white-wine butter sauce) served over rice with some shredded parm. A very white dish, but tasty.

[dubsola]

Look to Macky's Shrimp Truck on the North Shore for a couple of ideas. Ignore the rice - you can just serve it with salad and pineapple (and Sarah can skip the pineapple if need be), and ignore the breaded coconut shrimp and the butter and garlic shrimp - they also do a lemon pepper and spicy chilli and ginger shrimp. I'm sure a resourceful man such as yourself will be able to work out how to make it without a recipe - just marinate and fry. A simple salad with an olive oil and orange juice dressing works well with this.

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And here's my recipe. Hopefully you can find some squid hoods. This is awesome on a barbeque / grill, although a bit of preparation is required. I've tried to make this recipe bilingual for ease of understanding.

Stuffed Squid Hoods

Shrimp Marinade
Olive oil
Soy sauce
Chopped coriander / cilantro
Chopped chilli
Chopped garlic
Lime juice

Peel and clean the shrimp. Put in a bowl and mix in the marinade, let sit for 15 minutes or whatever. In the meantime, prepare the squid hoods.

Once the shrimp has marinaded sufficiently, heat a frypan until it's nice and hot. A drop of water should sizzle nicely. Pour the shrimp out into the frypan and fry the shrimp until it's three quarters cooked - this is a matter of judgement / guesswork, but you will take it off the heat, return it to a bowl, and let it cool down, and while it's cooling it will cook a bit more.

Once the shrimp has cooled down, stuff the shrimp into the hoods - not too full, as the hoods will shrink on the grill. Use two water-soaked wooden skewers to hold everything together - one in the open end to stop the shrimp falling out, and one towards the top of the hood for additional structural integrity / convenient handhold.

When you're outside having a lovely time at your cookout (see I can speak American), brush the hoods with a little oil, then fry on the grill. Not too long, because squid goes chewy if it's overdone. I've never actually timed it, but it's probably only a minute each side. You can see the squid flesh whiten as it cooks.

I realise this is a bit vague, but you should be able to work things out as you go along. It's a pretty hearty dish. You can changeup the marinade - add ginger, use basil instead of coriander, remove the chilli, add salt and pepper, and so on.

If you can't be bothered stuffing squid hoods, you don't have squid hoods, or don't like squid, marinade the shrimp as stated, then impale on skewers and grill.

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I have another recipe, but it involves pasta. Sorry it's of no use here.

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Shrimp Truck Scandal!

[Bakemaster]

I have another recipe, but it involves pasta. Sorry it's of no use here.

Oh, it doesn't have to be low-carb. I just find those ones particularly useful. If it's good, please do share.

Thursday night I tried this recipe with shrimp instead of chicken. I also used cowhorn peppers rather than jalapeno or fresno, and sake rather than sherry, as those were what I had available; and added a few shakes of fish sauce to the marinade. Next time I'll add more fish sauce. Quite tasty. Nothing really takes in lemon flavor quite like broccoli.