Have Ocean Caught Florida Shrimp

... at Your Next Party.

If you’re looking for something sweet, versatile and scrumptious, for the last big party of the summer, then try ocean-caught Florida shrimp! This Labor Day when deciding who to invite to those summertime parties, backyard barbecues and outdoor picnics, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages consumers to add ocean-caught Florida shrimp to the invitee list.

Florida shrimp is a great way to impress your party guests and offer something everyone can enjoy.

There are many avenues by which to host a party. Whether you choose to grill in the backyard with family and friends, take your dinner on the road for a twilight picnic, or host a neighborhood pool party, you can use ocean-caught Florida shrimp as an appetizer, the main course or side dish. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services offers the following tips for hosting a Labor Day gathering, including festive ways to incorporate ocean-caught Florida shrimp.

1) Relaxing and entertaining outdoors is a standard summertime activity -- so why not chill out with a picnic? Dinner out in the open is perfect for those warm and lazy summer nights. Shrimp and veggie quiche can be cut into convenient single servings and easily toted along with the rest of the traditional picnic fare, such as fresh Florda fruit and cold beverages. Be sure to bring a blanket (or two!) large enough to seat your entire dinner crew. And don’t forget to practice food safety. Thoroughly chill or warm the food before you leave and store it in appropriate containers -- a cooler with plenty of ice for the cold food and an insulated container or bag for the warm food.

2) Summertime weather -- especially in Florida -- is often unpredictable. Have a backup plan in case you need to move the gathering inside. Florida shrimp on the backyard grill can easily be brought indoors and fried, sautéed, boiled, broiled or baked in the kitchen.

3) Be the host with the most by preparing your dishes in advance. Cold food like zesty shrimp gazpacho is always welcome in hot weather and best when prepared ahead of time.

4) If you’re the host, relieve stress by letting your guests help out. By making the grill a central aspect of your party, you can allow your guests to take a turn rotating the shrimp on the grill without taking away from their time to socialize. This is an effective way to keep their interest -- and taste buds -- fully engaged while decreasing your workload.

5) Take advantage of all the fresh ingredients available this time of year. Get creative and mix seasonal specialties with a universal favorite -- shrimp and sweet corn sauté. This is one example of mixing shrimp with the season’s finest.

6) Themed parties are always fun; why not try a Caribbean theme? Give your guests a taste of the islands with shrimp bigarrade with Caribbean ratatouille or coconut fried shrimp.

This Labor Day, enjoy the warm weather and extra free time that the holiday brings by hosting a get-together with family and friends. With your favorite people, these party tips and America’s favorite seafood, your gathering is sure to be a sizzling success for the last big summer soirée. For more wild and wonderful recipes using ocean-caught Florida shrimp, visit www.WildFloridaShrimp.com.

Covered Shrimp and Veggie Quiche
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup Florida onion
1/2 cup sweet Florida bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Florida mushrooms
1/2 cup Florida tomatoes, chopped and peeled
1 cup Florida ocean-caught shrimp, peeled and chopped
3 Florida eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Florida basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Florida parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 9-inch pie crusts
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

Sauté chopped vegetables and shrimp in butter until soft and shrimp is cooked. Remove from heat, drain off any excess liquid and cool. In a bowl, combine eggs, cream, herbs and spices. Stir in cooled vegetables and shrimp; pour mixture into one of the prepared pie crusts. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with other pie crust, crimp edges to seal crust and cut four slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Zesty Gazpacho with Shrimp
3 pounds of ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2-3 sprigs of fresh basil, chopped
2-3 sprigs of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar or 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3 Floirda green onions, sliced
pinch of oregano
salt to taste
white pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Corn and Shrimp, see recipe below
In a large bowl, combine first twelve ingredients. Working in batches, process the mixture in a food processor or blender until blended but still chunky. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt, white pepper and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or until chilled.

Corn and Shrimp
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 pound of steamed or broiled Florida ocean-caught shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped
12 thin slices from French bread baguette
2 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
fresh basil

In a small saucepan, combine the corn with 1/4 cup water, salted to taste. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat and cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain and let cool. Preheat the broiler and arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast until golden. Rub the toast with the whole garlic cloves and drizzle lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; keep warm. To serve, stir the corn and shrimp into the gazpacho. Ladle the gazpacho into chilled soup plates and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil, if desired. Serve with the warm garlic toasts.
Yield: 6 servings

Shrimp and Sweet Corn Sauté
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup sliced celery
3 cups cooked sweet corn kernels
1 pound ocean-caught shrimp, cooked and peeled
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt

Heat butter in large skillet on medium-high. Add peppers and celery and cook until tender. Add corn and mix well until heated. Add shrimp to skillet; mix well and let heat for about 2 minutes. Add sage and salt and stir mixture gently for 1 minute. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings as a side dish.

Florida Shrimp Bigarrade with a Caribbean Ratatouille
Courtesy of Chef Allen Susser
1 large sour orange, zested and juiced
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs Florida thyme branch
16 jumbo Florida ocean-caught shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large shallots, diced fine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 1/2 cups Florida orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons scallion, cut on a bias

Caribbean Ratatouille, recipe follows
Prepare the marinade:
In a stainless steel bowl combine the sour orange zest, bay leaf, thyme and Flordia shrimp. Cover and marinate for about 1 hour.

Cook the Florida shrimp:
Warm the olive oil in a large pan. Add the shallots and cook until translucent approximately 2 minutes. Add the Florida shrimp with marinate and sauté for approximately 1 minute on medium heat. Add the brown sugar and mix until dissolved. Add the champagne vinegar and stir together. Add the orange juice and bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove the Florida shrimp and reduce the liquid by half. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook the sauce until thickened.

Serve:
Arrange the Florida shrimp on a warm service platter, pour the sauce around the shrimp and garnish with scallion.

Caribbean Ratatouille
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Florida onion, sliced
1 small green plantain, diced
1 cup diced calaboza, acorn squash, or pumpkin
2 medium chayotes, diced
2 medium Anaheim chiles, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black peppercorns
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup Forida orange juice, freshly squeezed
Coconut Fried Shrimp
2 pounds ocean-caught Florida shrimp, peeled and deveined, uncooked
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon curry
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded coconut
Oil for deep frying

Rinse the shrimp and set aside to drain. Measure 1/2 cup of flour and set aside. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, milk, baking powder, curry and salt, mix well. Place reserved flour and shredded coconut in separate shallow pans. Dredge shrimp in flour, dip in batter, then roll in coconut. Deep fry in hot oil at 350 degrees F until coconut is golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper, then transfer to warm tray. Serve hot with sweet and sour sauce.
Yield: 6 servings

Also see:

Seafood Gift Certificates
> Seafood Market online :