January 16, 2007
From Florida’s Seas To You - Pink Gold
As the sun goes down and many of us are winding down for the day, the crews on the Florida pink shrimp boats begin to kick it up a notch. You see, pink shrimp are skittish and they hide from their predators in the sand when it is bright. Consequently, this Florida culinary delicacy is primarily caught at night under a waning moon.
Sometimes commercial shrimp fishermen have to travel a distance offshore to find pink shrimp, which means they may have to live for more than a week on their boats while they trawl nightly for their catch. This hard work and sacrifice is not without its reward. The Florida pink shrimp they harvest is highly sought after by chefs and consumers and it is often referred to as “Pink Gold.”
If you resolved to maintain a healthy diet, Florida pink shrimp is an excellent choice. Shrimp contains low levels of fat and calories and are high in protein. Whether for brunch, lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer, preparation is simple and quick. They are easily adaptable and can be used as the protein source in almost any entrée recipe.
Visit your favorite grocer or seafood market to purchase Florida pink shrimp. If your market does not have this Florida pink gold, ask them to get it. Then try some of these crowd-pleasing recipes.
Asiago Pepper Shrimp
24 large Florida pink shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces Asiago cheese
1 tablespoon Florida jalapeno pepper, chopped
12 slices bacon
Wash the Florida pink shrimp and pat them dry. Butterfly top half of the shrimp, leaving the tail section intact. Grate the cheese and mix with jalapeno pepper. Cut each piece of bacon in half; set aside. Fill the open section of each shrimp with about 1/8 teaspoon cheese mix. Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon, and secure with a wooden pick. Place shrimp on a broiler pan and broil until bacon is crisp. Turn the shrimp and broil until bacon is done.
Yield: 6 appetizers.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 237, Calories From Fat 157, Total Fat 17g, Saturated Fat 8g, Trans Fatty Acid .22g, Cholesterol 88mg, Total Carbohydrate 3g, Protein 19g, Omega-3 Fatty Acid .20g.
Florida Orange Glazed Shrimp
2 cups Florida orange juice
2 tablespoons triple sec liqueur
1 1/2 pounds Florida pink shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chopped hot pepper
Cook Florida orange juice and triple sec in a large skillet until liquid has reduced to a very thick, honey like, consistency. Add Florida pink shrimp and oil and cook approximately 6 to 8 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in the center and liquid thickens again. Add soy sauce and chopped pepper and mix well. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 272, Calories From Fat 39, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat .75g, Trans Fatty Acid 0g, Cholesterol 259mg, Total Carbohydrate 18g, Protein 36g, Omega-3 Fatty Acid .01g.
Classic Shrimp Scampi
1 1/2 pounds Florida pink shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup clarified butter
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced Florida green onions
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Florida lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped Florida parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Rinse Florida pink shrimp and set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Add chopped parsley and pepper before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 507, Calories From Fat 293, Total Fat 33g, Saturated Fat 19g, Trans Fatty Acid 0g, Cholesterol 339mg, Total Carbohydrate 7g, Protein 35g, Omega-3 Fatty Acid 0g.
For more Florida seafood recipes and information, visit www.WildFloridaShrimp.com or www.FL-Seafood.com websites.
For more information:
Phyllis McCranie
(850) 488-0163
mccranp@doacs.state.fl.us
