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The terms "prawn" and "scampi" are often used interchangeably with shrimp:
"prawn" commonly refers to freshwater shrimp or large saltwater shrimp;
"scampi" is often used by restauranteurs to describe shrimp cooked in
butter and garlic. All shrimp are divided into three basic categories:
cold-water or northern; warm-water, tropical, or southern; and freshwater.
You may find all three categories in your local market. Cold-water shrimp inhabit the northern Atlantic (Pandalus borealis) and northern Pacific (Pandalus jordoni). They are very small and do not have to be deveined before eating. Warm-water shrimp from the Gulf states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas represent the overwhelming majority of domestic shrimp landings in the U.S. The three major species are brown, white, and pink shrimp. Uncooked brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) have reddish brown shells, and their meat has a stronger flavor than white or pink shrimp because of a higher iodine content. As a result, brown shrimp are generally less expensive than the other two varieties. The premium-priced shrimp are white shrimp (Penaeus setiferus). Although classified as white, the shells of some are actually greenish gray. Pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum) come in a variety of colors, including brownish pink and lemon yellow. There are two smaller categories of warm-water shrimp. Red shrimp and rock shrimp occur from Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico. The latter (Sicyonia brevirostris) is a fairly recent introduction into the American market. Rock shrimp gets its name from its hard shell. The meat of rock shrimp is very firm, more lobster- like, and lower priced than other shrimp. The freshwater shrimp known as the Malaysian prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is farm raised in Hawaii, California, and other states. These shrimp are large and can reach a weight of 4-6 ounces. Shrimp are sold by count, which is expressed as a numerical range of shrimp per pound. A count of 41-50 means there are between 41 and 50 shrimp per pound. The smaller the count per pound the larger the shrimp. In the market, you may also see descriptive size names such as small, medium, large, or jumbo. Compare prices based on actual count per pound, not these size descriptions, for they may vary from store to store. According to Chef Jerome M. Grochocki, Christiana Hilton, Newark, Delaware, you can use all cooking methods with shrimp--poaching, broiling, sautéing, and grilling. Shrimp can be served cold or hot. You will see it as appetizers, soups, and entrées. You can blend shrimp with meats, chicken, and/or pasta. Shrimp that is cooked just to the point of being done (flesh turns from translucent to opaque) is great and good for you, but you don't want to overcook this product as it will become tough. |
