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SHRIMP

ALMOST ALL SHRIMP are frozen before sale. So unless you’re in a hurry, you might as well buy them frozen and defrost them yourself; this will guarantee you that they are defrosted just before you cook them, therefore retaining peak quality

There are no universal standards for shrimp size; large and medium don’t mean much. Therefore, it pays to learn to judge shrimp size by the number per pound, as retailers do. Shrimp labeled 16/20, for example, contain sixteen to twenty per pound; those labeled U-20 require fewer (under) twenty to make a pound. Shrimp from fifteen to about thirty per pound usually give the best combination of flavor, ease (peeling tiny shrimp is a nuisance), and value (really big shrimp usually cost more than $15 a pound).

On deveining: I don’t. You can, if you like, but it’s a thankless task, and there isn’t one person in a hundred who could blind-taste the difference between shrimp that have and have not been deveined.

SPANISH-STYLE SHRIMP

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES

MUCH OF THE flavor of shrimp can be lost in the cooking, especially when you’re grilling or broiling, which allows the juices exuded by the shrimp to escape. Far better at preserving the crustacean’s essence is cooking it in liquid, and among the best of those liquids is olive oil. This is not sautéing, but cooking the shrimp slowly in the oil, to tease out its liquids without evaporating them, so these juices combine with the oil to create an irresistible sauce. I usually peel shrimp before cooking, but in this instance the shrimp are better left unpeeled, for the simple reason that the shells contain as much flavor as the meat (maybe more), and you want that flavor in the sauce. The results are a little messier, and certainly more difficult to eat, but they are tastier—and the dish is easier to prepare.

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 or 4 big garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers

1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste

1 teaspoon paprika, or to taste

2 pounds shrimp in the 15-to-20-per-pound range

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Combine the oil and garlic in a 10- or 12-inch skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle, then add the cumin and paprika. Stir, raise the heat to medium-high, and add the shrimp, along with some salt and pepper.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are all pink, no longer; you do not want to evaporate their liquid. Turn off the heat, add the parsley, and serve.

VARIATIONS

Shrimp, Scampi Style

Omit the cumin and paprika; use cayenne in place of black pepper. When the shrimp are cooked, stir in 2 or more tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Shrimp with Asian Flavors

Substitute peanut or vegetable oil for the olive oil and cook 1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger and 2 or 3 small dried red chiles (or to taste) along with the garlic; omit the cumin and paprika. When the shrimp are done, stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce; garnish with minced scallion or fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

SHRIMP IN MOROCCAN-STYLE TOMATO SAUCE

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 40 MINUTES

THE MAIN INGREDIENTS are standard Italian, the technique and appearance are standard, but the seasonings are from the other side of the Mediterranean. And that’s the key: by substituting a couple of different spices, most or all of which you have sitting in your kitchen already, you can transform the common into the exotic.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 lime leaf, minced, or 1 teaspoon minced lime zest

One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained, or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ pounds peeled shrimp, deveined if you like

Minced fresh cilantro for garnish

Lime wedges

1. Put the olive oil in a deep skillet and over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the ginger and cook, stirring, for about a minute.