Source: Ebony Magazine January 2001
Shrimps and Prawns
Shrimp and prawns are types of seafood that are consumed worldwide. Although shrimp and prawns belong to different suborders of Decapoda, they are very similar in appearance and the terms are often used interchangeably in commercial farming and wild fisheries. A distinction is drawn in recent aquaculture literature, which increasingly uses the term “prawn” only for the freshwater forms of palaemonids and “shrimp” for the marine penaeids.
In the United Kingdom, the word “prawn” is more common on menus than “shrimp”; the opposite is the case in North America. People often use the term “prawn” loosely to refer to any sizable shrimp, particularly ones that are sold in quantities of 15 or fewer per pound. These larger shrimp are commonly known as “king prawns” or “jumbo shrimp.” Australia and some other Commonwealth nations embrace this British usage to a greater extent, relying almost exclusively on the word “prawn.”. When Australian comedian Paul Hogan used the phrase, “I’ll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you” in an American television advertisement, it was intended to make what he was saying easier for his American audience to understand, and was thus a deliberate distortion of what an Australian would typically say. In Britain, very small crustaceans with a brownish shell are called shrimp and are used to make potted shrimps. They are also used in dishes where they are not the primary ingredient. The French term crevette is often encountered in restaurants.
Allergies
Shrimp and other shellfish are among the most common food allergens. Indeed, it is probably for this reason that the major religions of the world today adhere to dietary rules that expressly warn against eating these food items. For example, the Jewish dietary laws called Kashrut forbids the eating of shrimp. Finally, within the Islamic religion, the Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali, and Ja’fari schools allow the eating of shrimp, while the Hanafi school does not.
Ingredients
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 quarter cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup clam juice or chicken broth
chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
To make this brunch shrimp recipe, combine shrimp, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper in a small bowl; set aside. Cook and stir onion and red bell pepper with thyme in bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables; cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until flour begins to brown. Add shrimp and clam juice; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and gravy is smooth. Add water or additional clam juice, if the sauce is too thick. Serve immediately over rice or grits. Garnish with parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Makes about 4 servings
