Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Enjoy Fresh Coastal North Carolina Shrimp!

We are a blessed bunch here in Eastern North Carolina, the Crystal Coast is just down the road and that means we are only a short distance away from fresh local seafood!  Being close by also means our local markets are able to carry only the freshest seafood as well.  It’s always time for sweet, salty Carteret County Shrimp.  Give these recipes a try!  

Best-Pickled Shrimp  

(This is my very favorite)

1 Vidalia or sweet onion, thinly sliced 

1 lemon, thinly sliced

¾ cup cider vinegar

½ cup canola oil

¼ cup capers with their juices

¾ teaspoon celery seeds

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

Splash of Tabasco sauce, to taste

1 ½ pounds (41/50 count) peeled and cooked shrimp

In a large bowl, combine the onions, lemon, cider vinegar, canola oil, capers, celery seeds, sugar, salt, and Tabasco. Add the shrimp and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve chilled. Keeps for at least a week.  Serves 6-8. 

Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes 

(This one is easy and a favorite with my friends)

1 teaspoon dried parsley 2 cup sour cream salt and pepper 8 ounce cheese, cheddar 1 lb. sautéed shrimp, peeled 8 tablespoon butter vegetable oil, for coating 6   large Idaho potatoespaprika 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by washing potatoes, drying them, and gently pricking them with a fork on the sides.  Coat each potato with vegetable oil, place on foil-covered pan, and bake for approximately 1 hour. (For a crunchier skin, rub with olive oil and bake at 450 degrees, do not prick with fork).  Place the butter in a large bowl.  

Remove the potatoes from the oven and slice the top third off of each potato.  Gently scoop out the potato and place in the bowl.  Using a mixer on high, mix the potatoes, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper.  Fold in the shrimp and cheese into the mixture.  Gently stuff the mixture back into the potato shells, making sure not to break them.  Pile the mixture as high as you can on top of the potato shells.  Sprinkle each potato with cheese and paprika for color.  

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 to 30 minutes until browned on top.

Shrimp Salad with Cilantro

Dressing:

½ c vegetable broth

1 ½ tsp cornstarch

3 TBP fresh lime juice

2 tsp EVOO

¼ tsp sugar

¼ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

1 lb. medium shrimp; cooked and peeled

1 ½ c julienne cut yellow squash

1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes halved

1 c fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) or frozen whole corn

2 TSP minced fresh cilantro

For the Dressing: – combine broth and cornstarch in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk, bring to a boil.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, stir in juice and next 5 ingredients (through pepper).  Cool.

For the Salad: – combine shrimp and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Add dressing mixture to shrimp mixture, tossing well.  Yields about 4 dinner size servings.

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta!

1 lb. of spaghetti or your favorite pasta of choice 

1 1/2 lbs. of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (or 1 pound boneless chicken, chopped) 

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

3 tsp paprika 

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley 

Black pepper to taste 

For the Sauce 

1/2 cup of mayonnaise 

1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce (in the Asian isle) 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 Tablespoons of lime juice 

1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes 

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

In a large bowl, mix all 'sauce' ingredients together then set aside. 

Cook pasta, drain. 

Place the uncooked shrimp or chicken in a medium bowl, add the paprika, 3 cloves of garlic, pepper 

In a large skillet, on medium high heat, add the coated uncooked shrimp or chicken. 

Stir constantly while cooking until no longer pink- about 10 minutes 

Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, shrimp/chicken and sauce mixture and toss well. 

Enjoy!

Crab and Shrimp Casserole

½ pound mushrooms, chopped

¼ cup flour

½ cup butter

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup cooked chunk crab meat

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 cups cooked shrimp

2 cups milk

¼ cup butter

2 tablespoons cooking sherry

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Sauté mushrooms in ½ cup butter. Add seafood.

Make a medium white sauce: melt ¼ cup butter, add flour, and cook until bubbly. Add salt and pepper, remove from heat.

Add milk, return to heat, and bring to boil, stirring constantly.

Add white sauce and sherry to the seafood mixture. Mix well.

Pour into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.  Top with cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Creamy Parmesan Basil Shrimp Recipe

(Keto Friendly)

1 1/2 pounds shrimp⠀

3 tablespoon butter⠀3 large garlic cloves minced⠀1/2 yellow onion finely minced⠀3-4 ounces roasted red peppers thinly sliced. ⠀1/4 teaspoon paprika⠀1 1/2 cups heavy cream⠀1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish⠀1 cup fresh grated parmesan⠀1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes⠀1/2 cup white wine (or chicken stock) ⠀salt to taste⠀black pepper to taste⠀⠀In a large non-stick pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, then sear, 1-2 minutes on each side, until just pink. Remove from the pan and set aside. ⠀

In the same skillet add 1 tablespoons butter. Add onion, garlic, peppers, paprika, red chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until onions and peppers are softened.

Add wine to deglaze the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer until reduced by half.  

Reduce heat to medium low. Add cream to the skillet and stir until a creamy sauce forms. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add Parmesan, stir until melted into sauce. Stir in basil, simmer until wilted, 1-2 minutes. 

Add shrimp back to the skillet and reheat 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve over zoodles or spaghetti squash.