Some Background
First, boiled shrimp are the easiest thing in the world to cook. You can also, broil, grill, fry, and sautee these lil puppies to perfection. The BIGGEST problem is that folks tend to way over cook these to death. As one half toothless Cajun put it to me one time while drilling wells in the bayou's of Louisiana - ever heard of someone 'dyin' from 'eatin' dem shrimps? Only Cajuns can corretly use the plural of shrimp as shrimps and it sound perfectly fine - smile. Severe seafood allegries excluded of course from the dying thing.
When buying shrimp, most likely you'll get the frozen kind. The closer to the coast you are, the more likely you can get fresh shrimp. Here in Dallas I perfer what's are called Gulf Coast White shrimp. That's what you guys had at the Birthday Party Bash!  However, to insure their freshness I had the chef next door get them frozen from his supplier in Houston. Otherwise, they are flown in fresh to a store called Central Market (God, to die for) fresh daily from the Gulf.  Another favorite is called Key West Pinks. They are however, most likey frozen. There are fresh water shrimp and salt water shrimp. I think salt water shrimp taste better. You may differ and that's OK.Â
You'll see these numbers on the packages of shrimp, e.g. 13 - 15, 26/30, 41/50 and in case you don't know, these are the number of shrimp that make up a pound by weight. Usually with shells on, heads off. The smaller the numbers the larger the shrimp. I think the shrimp I brought to the Bash were in the jumbo (21/25) to extra large (26/30). Prawns are similar to shrimp but are much bigger than the biggest of shrimp. Crawfish, more appropriately referred to as 'Mudd Buggs' by the Cajuns, look like lil lobsters and love the muddy canal's and flats of Louisiana. Cooking these fellows is a whole other topic and is a time for family, friends, beer out the wazoo, corn on the cob, and lil new potatoes!! Eat tails and suck heads say the Cajuns - YUM
                                           BOILED SHRIMP
If you don't have a suitable pot to cook these in, head to your closest department store or speciality store and pick up one. I prefer to use my All-Clad 7 quart pasta/stockpot because it holds a lot and will not boil over.  If cooking for a bunch get a way big pot. I used my 55 gallon, yes 55 gallon, crawfish pot to cook those for the Bash in Oak Ridge. If you are gonna be cooking a lotta pounds of seafood - shrimp, lobster, crawfish, whatever, it may be advisable to get an outdoor cooker - a stand on which is a single burner hooked up to a propane tank. You'll be surprised how long it takes for a lotta water to boil.
I prefer to leave shells on and not de-vein. However, if you must de-vein - meaning getting the lil black intestine out of the shrimp's back, look up on net. Split the shell, don't take the shell off for boiling. For Shrimp scampi, and for grilling I do de-vein, boiling I don't.
Recipe for 2 - add a big salad, corn on the cob, french bread, whatever, or just shrimp.
Shrimp of your choice and size about 1.5 pounds if you are hungry (the bigger the shrimp, the more meat ya get with one peeling - remember 'dat'!!)
Make sure you have a large container of salt - 'Morton' salt no less - smile.
1-2 small bottles (4 oz) of liquid Zatarain's Shrimp & Crab boil depends on how hot ya want it - 1 bottle is usually more than enough. Â I prefer liquid to the bags of seasoning.
I prefer Trappy's Louisiana Hot sauce vs others - more flavor and not as hot!!
fresh squeezed lemon juice
horseraddish - NOT creamy - yuck - prepared __________________________________________________________________
Fill stockpot with enough water to come up less than half way - you don't want it to boil over!!!
Toss in maybe a cup or a lil less of salt - I do this my eye - sorry.
Add, 1-2 coarsely chopped onions, and all celery, leaves and all.
Cut about 6-7 lemmons in half. Using a wooded juicer, juice the lemmons over the stockpot toss in rind as well - take off lil stickers first, they don't do much for the flavor - smile.  The wooden juicer is worth a couple bucks - unless you feel like squeezing by hand.
Add one entire bottle of liquid Zatarain's Shrimp & Crab Boil.
Add several shakes of the Cajun spices if ya want.
DON'T BE ADDIN DEM SHRIMPS JUSTÂ YET!!
Bring the stockpot to a boil....by adding all this 'stuff'you see why you need a big stockpot.
While the stockpot is heating up.......make your cocktail sauce.
This is for 2 now - Add about cup or so of ketsup - I do all this my eye and taste so you are gonna have to just start slow and get it the way YOU like it!! I did not make the cocktail sauce at the Bash - from Sams - way, way too hot in my opinion.
Add to ketsup several shakes of worcestershire
Add juice from one lemon
Add a couple of shakes of hot sauce
Add about a teaspoon (a regular spoon, not a measuring type) of horseradish
Mix thoroughly and taste - see what it needs - add accordingly
Once it's right, put in refrigerator to let the flavors meld together....
Once the stockpot is boiling...I turn down the heat a bit and let it rip for several minutes to mix all the flavors....
HERE'S THE SECRET
Add all the shrimp at the same time. Turn the heat back up to high. Don't you dare leave - wait Onced the pot begins to boil again....wait maybe a minute and take them off the heat.
Depending on how hot, meaning flavor wise, you want your shrimp, let them sit from anywhere to a minute or so - mild flavor - to maybe 5 minutes or more - hot flavor. They are still cooking in the hot water....if you want them to stop cooking but absord flavor - add a ton of ice to the pot to cool it down.
Now you know what I know about 'dem shrimps'Â Enjoy!!
Questions - email Mort:Â betterplanet@sbcglobal.net
