Staff Writer
I ate shrimp maybe once every other week when I was living in south Louisiana. It might be served with a rémoulade or in a étouffée. A creamy shrimp salad packed in a buttery roll would be another option. I could also prepare a stir-fry with leftover rice, scampi, or chop them.
There, fresh Gulf shrimp are easily accessible, moderately affordable, and consistently tasty since they cook so rapidly. But if my husband’s family was still trawling for the crustaceans in the late spring and early summer, I may consume brown shrimp even more frequently. Pounds of them would have their heads removed before being frozen for later use. I would frequently stop on the side of the road once the family fishing days were ended purchase them from shrimpers selling their catch from ice chests along the road.
We would then boil a large quantity and eat them with sauce and buttered saltines every night.
Man, I long for those times. Even though I no longer have as easy or affordable access to local seafood as I once had, I still yearn for shrimp, particularly in the summer. It resembles a conditioned response in many ways. Climate warms. Eating shrimp is required.
Nowadays, frozen shrimp are frequently my go-to option, but I discover that I need to zhuzh them a little bit more than I did the fresh catch. Instead of relying on tried-and-true recipes and being somewhat disappointed by the results since the flavor and texture are different, I look for new ones.
methods of cooking them.
That’s how I made the decision to try Sheela Prakash’s “Salad Seasons” recipe for Summer Slaw With Hot Honey Shrimp. Naturally, the cookbook’s summer chapter, which includes a variety of salads for every season, has the recipe. Each one wisely utilizes fresh ingredients.
Salad is a broad phrase to Prakash. According to her, it is “a dish that puts produce first, has a dressing that ties all of the ingredients together, and layers of flavor and texture that make for interesting and fun forkfuls.”
This straightforward recipe satisfies all of those requirements, and, to be honest, if you use frozen shrimp, it might also be a cheery dish for the winter when cabbages are in plentiful supply.
Peeled shrimp are mixed in hot honey, olive oil, and garlic for the salad, then spread out on a baking sheet for a fast roast. While they simmer, you prepare a straightforward slaw with carrots, scallions, red and green cabbage, and a cilantro-lime vinaigrette with a touch of hot honey.
When everything is ready to be served, place the shrimp on top of the slaw and top with tortilla chip crumbs. If you want, you might also use handmade breadcrumbs that are salty and crisp. Each bite’s crisp textures and fresh flavor are my favorites.
You can purchase hot honey, but Prakash also provides a method for making it, so I made extra and slightly warmed it and offered it tableside so that people may continue to zhuzh.
It satisfied my shrimp itch for the time being and tasted like summer on a plate.
Shrimp with Hot Honey Sauce and Summer Slaw
Approximately 30 minutes.
4 to 6 portions
Quick-cooking shrimp are coated in hot honey before being topped with a tangy coleslaw. An addition of salty tortilla chips right before serving gives the summer salad an extra crunch, according to cookbook author Sheela Prakash. Purchase or make your own hot honey.
To produce hot honey, combine 1/2 cup mildly scented honey, such as clover or orange blossom, with 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes that have been crushed in a small pot over medium-low heat. About 5 minutes of sporadically stirring the mixture will bring it to a gentle simmer. Take out of the Let steep for at least 10 minutes after turning off the heat. Taste it, and if you’d like it hotter, soak it longer until the desired heat is reached. While it’s still warm, pour through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight jar or storage container while pressing down on the particles with the back of a spoon. Add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, stir, and store for up to a month at room temperature.
If you’d like, gently reheat the hot honey on the stovetop or in the microwave before setting it out on the table for visitors to consume.
Store in the fridge for up to two days without the chips.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces of thinly sliced green cabbage (3 cups)
8 ounces of finely sliced red cabbage (3 cups)
1 teaspoon of fine salt, and more if necessary
Divided heated honey equaling 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, with additional for serving (see headnote).
divided into three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 minced or finely grated garlic cloves, divided
16 to 20 count peeled and deveined one pound of tail-on shrimp, defrosted if frozen
black pepper freshly ground
Fresh cilantro, loosely packed and neatly chopped, with a few cilantro leaves for serving.
2 medium limes juiced to yield 1/4 cup
3 medium carrots, peeled, and 1 1/2 cups of coarsely grated carrots
2 finely cut scallions 1 cup tortilla chips that have been roughly crushed
DIRECTIONS
The oven should be set with a rack in the center and heated to 400 degrees.
Put the salt and the shreds of cabbage in a colander over a bowl or in the sink. To encourage the cabbage to loose its fluids and start wilting, massage and squeeze it. For around 15 minutes, drain.
In the meantime, combine 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and half of the garlic in a small bowl.
The shrimp are placed on a sizable baking sheet with a rim after being dried off. sprinkle with a little salt & pepper, then sprinkle the heated honey mixture on top. Spread out in a single layer after tossing to coat. When the shrimp are opaque, roast for 5 to 8 minutes, tossing halfway through.
While the shrimp roast, combine the cilantro, lime juice, hot honey, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a few pinches of salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
Squeeze the cabbage with your hands, adding a handful at a time to the dressing dish. Toss in the carrots and scallions after adding them. When necessary, add more salt and/or pepper after tasting.
To serve, divide the slaw into small bowls and add the shrimp on top. Spray each dish with
a little hot honey, if preferred, then garnish each with chopped cilantro and smashed tortilla chips.
192 calories worth of nutrition Serving size: (17g Carbohydrates, 122mg Cholesterol, 7g Fat, 3g Fiber, 17g Protein, 1g Saturated Fat, 326mg Sodium, 10g Sugar), based on 6 (1 1/2 cups).
