This diverse group commonly known as shellfish ranges from crabs to lobster to shrimp and even include microscopic krill and sedentary barnacles. Though they greatly differ in appearance, other than belonging to the subphylum Crustacea, their other common bond is they all are very tasty when properly prepared. And thankfully, my immune system doesn’t react to the tropomyosin protein found in most shellfish so I can indulge worry free since shellfish allergies are one of the major food allergies. Unfortunately, two of our frequent dining companions have severe shellfish allergies that require an extended visit to the Emergency Room if shellfish are accidentally consumed.
Sometimes, not Really Shrimps
Growing up, fresh shrimp graced our dinner table about as frequently as steak which mainly was reserved for special occasions. Then the advent of aquaculture created a glut of fresh shrimp which made it a lot more affordable and accessible for the working class. Before I attended graduate school in the Bay Area, the Tatsumoto’s could indulge in fresh shrimp on a weekly basis. You see, I worked as a Fisheries Technician/Chemist where my main job was to analyze water and soil samples for pesticide residues. Farmed raised fresh (usually referred to as prawns) and salt water shrimp was rapidly expanding during this time and because the 50th was initially focused on sugar cane and pineapple production, potential aquaculture sites first needed to have the soil tested for pesticide residue which were commonly employed to maximize harvest yields. But we also raised shrimp which started from artificial insemination (which is a story in itself and included 6-volt batteries and plumber’s Teflon tape) up to harvesting mature shrimp which I often did on Fridays. Until my Mom pleaded “no more shrimp, please”! But our breeding stock of black tiger shrimp were U-4 meaning that just four shrimp tails were one pound – I know this as we inadvertently killed a specimen during the artificial insemination process and the tail alone weighed 122 grams or about 4 ounces.
My favorite shrimp dish actually doesn’t even include the prized tail portion and are simply the deep-fried heads. Those fried heads that sushi chefs serve you after your order of ama-ebi or sweet, raw deep-water shrimp sushi. They’re like the best shrimp chips ever!
I also enjoy consuming the perfectly executed salt-and-pepper shrimp from Chinese restaurants. This is the one time where smaller shrimp create a better dish as once again, it’s more about the crunchy, peppery shells than it is about the tail meat. Of course, I also enjoy the tail meat either as the classic Honey Walnut Shrimp served in most Chinese restaurants or those 16-20 sized tails in the perfect shrimp cocktail though instead of poaching the tails, I prefer the Food Network’s Alton Brown’s method of broiling them with the shell on (after brining the tails). Broiling seems to concentrate those shrimp flavors and the shell protects the tender tail meat from scorching under the broiler. I also love pureed shrimp meat slathered on bite sized pieces of bread or shrimp toast as they make the perfect appetizer for sparkling wine. One of the original Food Network hosts, David Rosengarten, created shrimp toast amped up several notches by first flattening crust less white bread, schmearing the shrimp paste over the bread then rolling and slicing into bite-sized pieces dipped into sesame seeds and deep fried. The flattened bread puffed up like the best tempura batter and with a glass of Champagne…
And when purchasing fresh shrimp, if you’re lucky enough to find whole specimens with the head attached, look for tissue under the carapace (the head potion) that’s the same color as the tail. If it’s black or darker pink compared to the rest of the animal, it’s already taken a turn South so avoid purchasing no matter how good the price may seem.
I’ve changed a few things in David Rosengarten’s Shrimp Toast recipe to suit my own taste. I don’t use any MSG as I feel that fresh shrimp have enough flavor on their own and don’t need any enhancers. I also omit the small bit of lard he uses and prefer white pepper over black pepper and while he recommends large shrimp, since they’re pulverized in a food processor, I’m fine with using smaller shrimp and reserve the large shrimp for shrimp cocktail.
Shrimp Toast
Vegetable oil for frying
1 lb raw, shelled and deveined shrimp
1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, just the white section, finely minced (about 2-3 tbsp)
1 tbsp Shao Hsing wine
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp ground white pepper
10 to 12 slices white bread with crusts removed (I prefer the Japanese style square slices)
1 egg beaten
Sesame seeds to dip the ends
In a food processor, combine the shrimp, ginger, scallions, wine, salt, sugar and white pepper. Flatten each slice of bread then spread 1 to 2 tbsp evenly over the bread, roll tightly into a cylinder and seal with the beaten egg. Slice the cylinders into bite-sized pieces, dip the end into the sesame seeds then deep fry (350 to 365 degree oil) for a couple of minutes until golden brown then drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse sea salt while still hot.
Red as a Lobster
Actually, that would mean the lobster is cooked and though I enjoy a simple lobster roll dressed simply with a little mayonnaise and minced celery on a toasted, buttered roll, the ultimate preparation for lobster is no preparation at all… other than simply removing the succulent tail meat and slicing into bite sized pieces to enjoy with a little ponzu. Consuming lobster raw enhances the delicate, sweet flavors of lobster flesh and the first time the Mrs sampled lobster sashimi, she asked me to take up scuba diving again…
Though if you must apply heat to lobster, tempura is the next best avenue as boiling or steaming tends to amplify the tough texture of the connective bits of flesh whereas deep frying especially when coated with the perfect batter concentrates the flavors and somehow gives the flesh a softer bite. But if deep frying is just a little too mendokusai for you, then butter poaching is the next best cooking method. After all, what is the best dippin’ sauce for lobster but some drawn butter?
Are You Crabby?
The last of those delicious crustaceans is probably the Bay Area’s favorite son (or daughter as long as they’re legal size) or Metacarcinus magister also known as the Dungeness crab. Though I enjoy both King and Snow crab which both are readily available in the 50th (since they’re frozen) due to the firm meat and ease in extracting said flesh, I feel that the Dungeness has a much better flavor and in the Bay Area are available as fresh as crabs get. I don’t count crabs left in tanks at the supermarket because though they may still be alive, because they’re not fed in those tanks, the flesh actually starts shrinking and the flavor starts fading compared to those lively specimens trying to escape from tables and buckets in Chinatown.
Though a close second would be those behemoths found in the mangroves in the 50th, Scylla serrata or the Samoan crab. And it’s named Scylla after the mythical sea monster for good reason. Those claws supposedly can easier break a broomstick (or your hand) in half and the shell can’t be opened with supermarket variety crab cracking devices. Oh no, you’ll need a mallet and anvil to get through the shell but if you do, what awaits is very firm meat (like King crab) and a flavor just like the Dungeness crab.
However, the Mrs would beg to differ that the Dungeness or Samoan crabs reign supreme as her absolute favorite is the Kona crab which is only found Hawaii, Australia and smaller regions of Southeast Asia. It’s a prehistoric appearing crab with a pseudo tail – that flap on the underside of most crabs remains as a “tail” in the Kona crab with a carapace that is longer than it is wide. And while the flesh is very delicious, there’s a lot less of it compared to other crabs of the same weight. However, even in the 50th, it’s rare to find them in the market as only males can be harvested during open season and their length must be at least 4 inches. So for the time being, I’ll just continue getting my fix of frozen King crab while at home…
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