Cold Poached Shrimp With Marjoram Pesto Food

PESTO PASTA WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Pulse 3 cups fresh basil, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts and 1 garlic clove in a food processor. Pulse in 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons each grated Parmesan and olive oil until smooth. Cook 12 ounces bucatini; reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Toss the pasta with the pesto, 1 pound steamed chopped asparagus, 8 ounces sauteed shrimp and the reserved cooking water. Top with toasted breadcrumbs.

POACHED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with about a 1/2 gallon of water, add the salt and squeeze in the lemon juice; toss the halves in there too for extra flavor. Add the herbs and seafood seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the water with the aromatics.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the shrimp are bright pink and the tails curl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the poaching liquid and chill thoroughly before peeling. Serve with lemon wedges and Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce as part of a raw shellfish bar.
• Combine the tomatoes, celery, and onion in a blender and puree to break the vegetables down. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Chill before serving with a raw bar.

COLD POACHED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Put the shrimp in a saucepan with water to cover and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat; let the shrimp cool in the water for about 5 minutes, then rinse in cold water until cool. Peel and devein if you like. Serve with sauce or chill until ready to serve.
• 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.

COLD POACHED SHRIMP WITH MARJORAM PESTO

Steps:

• Place shrimp in a saucepan with water to cover and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, and turn off the heat; let shrimp sit in the water about 5 minutes, then rinse in cold water until cool. Peel (and devein if you like), then arrange on a platter.
• Combine marjoram and garlic in a blender or small food processor. Process until finely minced, scraping down sides with a rubber spatula once or twice if necessary. Add vinegar and most of the oil, and process until smooth.
• Add capers and anchovies, and pulse the machine on and off a few times so that the capers and anchovies are minced but not pureed.
• Stir in remaining oil, along with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cold shrimp.

CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and 1/3 cup (80ml) half-and-half. Stir to combine, then bring the half-and-half to a simmer. Once simmering, add the shrimp. Cook for 1 minute, then add the halved cherry tomatoes. Stir and cook until shrimp is nearly cooked through, just about pink on both sides. Stir in the remaining half-and-half, the lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Cook for 1 minute. (Shrimp should be fully cooked by this point. If not, keep cooking until it's pink.)
• Remove from heat, then immediately stir in the pesto while everything is still hot. Serve plain, over cooked pasta, rice, or even zucchini noodles. Sprinkle with fresh basil and extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
• Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

POACHED SHRIMP WITH BAY LEAVES AND LEMON

Steps:

• Combine first 7 ingredients in a Dutch oven (through carrot); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 2-3 minutes, until they are pink and fully cooked.
• Drain shrimp and place in a shallow dish.
• Combine lemon rind and remaining ingredients. Add to warm shrimp; toss well. Cover and chill until ready to serve, at least 3 hours.

POACHED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Bring water, lemon, and bay leaf to a boil, covered, in a medium saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Raise heat to high, and return water to a boil. Add shrimp; cook until bright pink and opaque, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer shrimp to a rimmed baking sheet using a slotted spoon; cover with ice, and let stand for 5 minutes.