Volume 11, Issue 120 - December 15, 2006

Hello,

I would like to thank my friends at Wild American Shrimp for their great content and recipes this week. Be sure to shop for Wild American Shrimp—you'll notice the difference.

Have a great weekend...you deserve it!

What's Behind Certified:

The Certified Wild American shrimp logo is a mark of quality that ensures the shrimp you're choosing has met stringent standards.

Certified Wild American shrimp are:

• Warm-water shrimp pulled straight from their natural habitat - not farm-raised.
• Wild harvested from U.S. coastal waters - not imported from Asia.

Wild American shrimp are tested for:

• Uniformity of size.
• Flavor, texture and aroma.
• Amount of dehydration (for frozen shrimp).
• Proper deheading, peeling and deveining (for cooked shrimp).

Other shrimp don't go through this certification process, meaning all bets are off as to their origin and quality. Ask for Certified Wild American shrimp or you'll surely get something else.

Source: Wild American Shrimp

Wild American Shrimp "The Shrimp You Thought You Were Eating!" The Environment, The Shrimp, Where to Find It, Recipes

Texas Shrimp Lemon Vodka Martini

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
16 (16-20) count Texas shrimp
16 large wild mushrooms
2 shallots, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup dry vermouth
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon butter
sea salt and pepper to taste
olives on toothpicks for garnish
martini glasses

Preparation:

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over high heat. Add shrimp, mushrooms, shallots and cook for two minutes, or until shrimp is partially cooked. Remove pan from the heat and add lemon juice, vodka, vermouth, parsley and carefully return to fire since vodka will flame. Simmer over medium heat for one to two minutes, or until liquid is reduced to four tablespoons. Season with salt and pepper. Serve four shrimp on each glass and divide mushrooms and sauce. Garnish with olives.

Recipe by Chef David Garrido - Jeffrey's of Austin, 1204 W. Lynn, Austin, Texas

More Frequently Asked Questions:

What does the certification mark mean?

The Wild American Certification Program ensures that warm-water, wild-caught shrimp from U.S. coastal waters meet a high standard of quality and consistency. Shrimp that meet these stringent standards are labeled with the distinctive Certified Wild American Shrimp mark. Participation in the certification program is available to harvesters, processors, distributors, retailers, grocers, and restaurateurs. Wild American Shrimp, Inc. administers the program.

Is there any nutritional benefit to eating Certified Wild American™ Shrimp?

These low-fat, low-calorie, low-carb shrimp are a protein-rich food containing heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have found that shrimp are an excellent source of vitamins D and B12, as well as selenium, which may assist in cancer protection. They are also a good source of niacin and iron.

A three-ounce serving supplies nearly 18 grams of protein - almost a third of your daily requirement - with only 84 calories and less than one gram of fat and one gram of carbohydrates.

How do Certified Wild American™ Shrimp differ from farm-raised shrimp?

Wild-caught American shrimp grow naturally and are fished in their natural environment. The result is healthy shrimp harvests. The vast majority of shrimp imported into the country are from farm-raised in ponds. Because there is currently no way for consumers to tell the source of most farmed shrimp on the market, the Monterey Bay Aquarium "maintains a general recommendation to avoid farm-raised shrimp from unknown sources."

According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, "valuable Southeast Asian coastal wetlands, especially mangrove forests, are often destroyed to create commercial shrimp farms. Where shrimp are cultivated intensively, pollutants and disease organisms build up in the muck beneath each pond. After a few years, the pond can no longer support healthy shrimp. The pond is abandoned and the farm must expand to fresh territory. The contaminated muck cannot support regrowth of the mangrove forest, so the ecosystem will not recover for decades, if ever."

Is the taste different?

Wild-caught American shrimp get their flavor and color from their natural diet of marine organisms, and because they grow in a natural environment and are harvested at the height of the season, the flesh is firm, the color fresh and the taste is sweet.

This unique flavor profile is thought by researchers at Texas A&M University to be due primarily to the increased abundance of free amino acids, which the animals utilize to counteract the large osmotic gradient that exists in salty offshore waters. They also speculate that the unique flavor of wild shrimp is due in part to their diet of high-protein, natural foods versus the cereal, grain-based feeds required to raise shrimp at high densities in ponds.

What is WASI, and why was it formed?

Wild American Shrimp, Inc. (WASI) is the marketing organization representing the Southern Shrimp Alliance. Its goal is to increase public awareness and to educate consumers about the advantages of choosing seafood that grows naturally, is caught fresh and supports the U.S. shrimp community. Marketing and promotional activities are achieved through a variety of programs including grocery store promotions, restaurant programs, public relations, and media advertising.

WASI represents the domestic shrimp community in eight southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

Is the U.S. shrimp community thriving?

National Marine Fisheries Service data shows that the U.S. shrimp industry is the most valuable seafood industry nationwide. But thousands of jobs in the shrimping community have been lost to shrimp imports, and thousands more are threatened if the industry is not supported. Buying Certified Wild American Shrimp helps support an American legacy.

Is Americans appetite for shrimp on the rise?

Americans eat more than a billion pounds of shrimp each year, making it the top selling seafood in the U.S., according to the National Fisheries Institute. Consumption has been rising an average of 33 million pounds a year every year since 1980. Easy to prepare, most fans prefer it sautéed, but it also can be grilled, fried, boiled and steamed.

Where can I get more information about Certified Wild American™ Shrimp?

More information is available online at www.wildamericanshrimp.com.

Source: Wild American Shrimp

VermontButcherBlock Handmade butcher blocks, prof. cutting boards, decorative cheese/sushi boards & wine racks. Personal/Corp. logo laser engraving too!

Coastal Georgia Sweet Shrimp Rangoon with Savannah Blue Crab
Georgia

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon pickled ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 pound cream cheese
1/2 pound goat cheese
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili pepper sauce
6 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
1/2 pound jumbo lump blue crab
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 eggs for filling
1 egg for wrap
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
24 wonton wrappers
24 Wild American shrimp, deveined and peeled to tip of tail
vegetable oil for frying.

Preparation:

In a small sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add green onion, pickled ginger and garlic. Cook gently until soft. Do not allow to color. Allow to cool.

Combine cream cheese and goat cheese in a 5-quart mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well combined and softened (1 to 2 minutes), or mix thoroughly using a wooden spoon. Add the cooled garlic mixture and continue to mix. Add the soy sauce, chili pepper sauce, sweet chili sauce and sesame oil. Add crab meat and mix again. Add 3 eggs slightly beaten, mixing until completely integrated. Season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate. This can be made up to 2 days in advance.

To wrap the shrimp:

Beat the remaining egg with 2 tablespoons of water or milk to make an egg wash. Place wonton wrapper on a cutting board. Brush the egg wash around the edges and place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center. Then place 1 shrimp on the filling with the tail sticking out of the wrapper. Begin to wrap the shrimp in the wonton wrapper as if you were wrapping a bottle of wine. Make sure to keep the tail sticking out. Fold the opposite side from the tail in before wrapping the whole shrimp.

Create a seal with more egg wash if necessary. It's okay to pinch the edges together. It is important not to have any holes in the wrappers. Chill or freeze for 5 to 10 minutes. Fry at 375 degrees F in about 1 inch of oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Season to taste with salt. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce or fruit sauce.

Source: Wild American Shrimp