Peel ‘n’ Eat

By Andrew Hunter

We discovered something amazing recently that compels the boys to eat foods they would normally shun. It’s both simple and surprising, but if they peel it, they’ll eat it. This miraculous discovery came when we realized they would eat a pound of edamame in one sitting. So we applied the same logic to shrimp and watched with anticipation and voilà!

With summer on the horizon and the sun shining brighter into the evening, we set up shrimp boils on the patio table. The boys peel and eat shrimp, a critter they previously refused. We peel and eat with them together sometimes and other times I peel a bunch for shrimp cocktail, which is one of Marilyn’s favorites.

Peel 'n' Eat Shrimp

An abundance of shrimp on the table is a beautiful site. Two pounds allow for 10 to 12 shrimp per person. Leftover shrimp can be chopped and cook into a frittata or served the next day with cocktail sauce for an elegant appetizer.

3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
6 lemons, quartered
2 pounds fresh shrimp, medium

Combine 3 quarts of water, seasoning and half of the lemon wedges in a large saucepan or stockpot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, add the shrimp, and boil for no more than 2 minutes, stirring the shrimp to ensure even cooking. Turn off the heat and allow the shrimp to sit in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold tap water to cool. Serve the shrimp on a large platter with the additional lemons.

As a bonus, we’ve started bringing the boys to the fish market down the street to pick out their dinner’s bounty.

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