in reality
That platter you see there marks my very first shrimp boil. First time making a shrimp boil, first time eating one. Even so, a shrimp boil was one of those recipes that I had a strong connection to before I’d even tried it. Do you know those recipes? You can just picture it, taste it, feel yourself hovering over the pot. This recipe conjured visions of bare, sandy feet and tanned, happy faces and rolled up sleeves and newpapered table tops littered with cobs stripped of their kernels and pink shrimp shells. Cold beers would be plentiful, to wash it all down, and each of the many people around the table would clutch paper napkins, swiping away the dribbles on their chins from time to time. An old radio would be tuned to the oldies channel and salt water would hang in the air.
By the time I got done day dreaming about the recipe, I practically owned a little cottage on Cape Cod. I could sail with my eyes closed. I’d spent my childhood sporting clamdiggers and feasting on lobster rolls.
In reality, of course, none of these things are true. In reality, as I said, I’d never eaten nor made a shrimp boil.
Heck, in reality, my spice collection didn’t even include a tin of Old Bay.
In reality, it was just Kevin and I partaking in this maiden shrimp boil at the end of a midweek summer workday. I barely had time to kick off my pumps before dinner, let alone stroll along the beach, sanding up my feet. There was no newsprint, no suntans, no oldies. But Kevin’s shirtsleeves were probably rolled up and there might have even been a cold beer. And, by the time we worked our way through the platter, there were stripped cobs and emptied shells and shiny chins.
We two swapped stories about our days, sank bank into a couple of deck chairs and fell into a quiet as the sun slipped away. It might not have lived up to the little shrimp boil vignette I’d cooked up in my head, but, even in reality, the meal and the night were delicious. If you have to spend a summer day at the office, it might as well end like this.
Shrimp Boil
Martha Stewart Living
2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 large garlic head, halved horizontally
3 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 dried red chile
Coarse salt or sea salt
8 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine
1 pound new red potatoes, unpeeled, halved if large
4 ears corn, husked, halved crosswise
1 pound unpeeled large shrimp, shells slit lengthwise from top to halfway down back, deveined
Hot sauce, for serving
Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts water. Squeeze lemons into water; add rinds. Add bay leaves, seasoning, garlic, onions, chile, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
Add potatoes; simmer 12 minutes. Add corn; simmer 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cover, and simmer until opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer ingredients to parchment paper or a bowl. Sprinkle with salt; serve with lemon and hot sauce.
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Oh,, that looks fantastic!
My memories are for Crawfish boils but this is equally lovely. I like with a shrimp-phobe but maybe I will give this a try to try to change his mind.
Jim and I had our first shrimp boil together in our old Princeton apartment, and love it. But when we got to share one on Tybee Beach in Georgia… watching dolphins swimming in the bay… nothing can beat that.
Though yours looks mightily delicious! : )
Sounds like a great night! That dish looks amazing. I’ve never made a shrimp boil either but I think I’m going to have to change that soon
Oh m’dear, I do love the way you write.
I love love love boiled shrimp. Are you a fan of Louisiana cooking? If you are, I can send you a delicious seasoning blend for boiling shrimp that we use here in New Orleans for you to try next time you boil shrimp. Send me an email if you want some, and I’ll drop it in the mail to you. I’m always happy to share the wealth of flavor we have in Louisiana!
Good job!
Very cute story
This looks delicious!!!! I’ve been wanting to try this on my own for awhile.
Oh my goodness – I have a bit of an Old Bay addiction (I blame childhood summers in New England). I’m getting hungry just looking at your photos!
This is one of my favorite summer meals! It is especially wonderful with a side of cornbread. Even if you’re not at the beach, bare feet and a cold beer are a must!
First off I want to say that I’m not usually a fan of seafood but after reading this post I was inspired! So I went to the store yesterday afternoon to pick the ingredients and made this last night for dinner and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! My husband was so impressed!
If I saw this recipe in a magazine I would have just passed by it but your story (the non-reality part) made me want to create that feeling in my kitchen too!
I LOVE your blog!
welcome to the club! I would recommend from lengthy experience that you try out the Zatarain’s (sp?) liquid crab (or any other seafood) boil (as opposed to the powder). it really seems to get into the seafood much better.
the trick is not cooking the seafood too much. the addition of sliced smoked sausage to the boil is also a wonderful thing!
my parents grew up in Louisiana and i do speak from experience. it’s the bomb – good luck with future trials!
wat a lovely post and this dish looks fabulous.
i could so imagine myself winding down after a long day with this too, a glass of wine and dining al fresca. nice! x
Your photos are stunning!
also known as “frogmore stew”. this has long been a staple in the lowcountry of south carolina. we beach dwellers know it well.
This looks great! It lives up to MY expectations of your shrimp boil
And your evening sounds just lovely!
I love low-country boils! My favorite are with crawfish, shrimp AND sausage.
Love your writing and your blog. Keep the good food coming.
Oh man, I’m making this in September on a family vacation and I can not wait!
YUM. Yum, yum, yum. Beautiful photos and writing, as always. I so enjoy reading your posts.
Half Assed Kitchen: Thank you!
Whitney: This could be a good start, because there’s so much other good stuff in here. You could also compromise by taking other commenters’ advice and adding sausage.
Robin: I remember that shrimp boil! I think your post planted the idea of a shrimp boil in my mind in the first place.
Tracey: Thanks! I hope you try it!
tara: Oh, thank you!
andie: We fell in love with during a trip earlier this year to New Orleans …
rose: Thank you! It’s time to give it a go!
Sam: Ha! I’ve met others who suffer from the same addiction (one of whom tucked it into his backpack on a camping trip and sprinkled it on literally everything we cooked).
Dorothy: Cornbread would be wonderful! We were wishing for something to mop up the broth.
amy: You made my day! That’s great! So glad you liked it.
kath: Why, thank you! I’m so happy to be here. : )
diva: Oh, yes, wine works just as well as that cold beer.
Ashley: Thank you!
Anne: What a charming name! I love it.
Maris: Thanks!
Nealy: Sausage! Brilliant.
Hannah: It’d be a great recipe to use for a big table full of family!
Dawn: Thank you so much.
This looks fantastic! I want to have a shrimp boil this minute!
So enjoy your writing.
I grew up on this stuff and sausage is definitely a must have! Not so good for the hiney…
I bookmarked this blog post in my google reader and went shopping for some shrimp and corn. I made this last night for my boyfriend and his mom and they loved it. What a hit! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing!!
As a life-long Marylander I look at your shrimp boil with familiar joy; unfortunately, as a vegetarian, I can only look.
Beautiful pictures, great writing. Glad I found this blog!
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