Seafood lovers agonize over such a
question and if they could they would take both. Some say that there
is little or no difference in taste, simply size. That is not true
and although both are invertebrates with protective exoskeletons, one
is very different from the other.
Shrimp usually live one to seven years
and are often solitary creatures except during spawning season, and
thank the gods for the call of nature. The tail is the most meaty
and delicious portion for human consumption, and human consumption is
what we are all about. Commercial shrimp species support an industry
worth 50 billion dollars a year and in 2010 the total commercial
production of shrimp was nearly 7 million tonnes.
Lobsters are a different breed
altogether, even though they are also invertebrates they have a hard
protective exoskeleton. Just remember how hard it was to break
through that sucker, even Sir Lancelot would need to whip out his
larger broadsword to conquer that knightly shell.
Regardless of the strength of the shell
perseverance always wins in the end. Yet lobsters have another very
interesting side to them. They are estimated to live up to 60 years
old, research suggests that lobsters may not slow down, weaken, or
lose fertility with age, and that older lobsters may be more fertile
than younger lobsters. How's that for age over beauty.
This longevity may be due to telomerase,
an enzyme that repairs long repetitive sections of DNA sequences at
the ends of chromosomes. Maybe it's time scientists looking for that
elusive fountain of youth and should start poking around telomerase.
Or simply should we eat more lobster and hope for the best? So if
you can't find an answer to the question above I have given recipes
for both shrimp and lobster. Enjoy these light and tasty salads with
a good glass of wine and good conversation. Or if you are like the
shrimp simply prepare the whole bowl for yourself, you won't regret
it.
Parsi Prawn Curry
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion sliced, fine
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp mint sauce
1 tbsp Demerara sugar
4 tbsp Tamarind juice (substitute with
lemon juice if needed)
salt to taste
fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lb king prawns
Heat the oil in pan, adding onions and
fry till golden brown.
In a bowl mix the garlic, chilli powder
and turmeric with a little water to make paste then add to browned
onions.
Add 2 chopped onions, cook till they are
translucent.
Stir in tamarind juice, mint sauce, sugar
and salt and stir gently for 3 minutes.
Add prawns with small amount of water,
cook till prawns are pink.
Add fresh cilantro, stir and serve.
(Serves 4)
Spicy Moroccan Shrimp
375 g (13 oz) shrimp
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp chopped red chili
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Clean and devein the shrimp, sprinkle
with salt and let sit.
Pour olive oil in pan on medium heat,
stir in ground cumin, cumin seed, ginger and chili.
Cook till fragrance breaks and seeds pop.
Add garlic, turmeric and paprika, cook
stirring a minute.
Add shrimp, raise heat and cook till
shrimp turns pink and no longer translucent.
Stir in cilantro and 3 tbsp of water.
Bring to a boil, simmer a moment then
remove from heat.
Serve with saffron rice.
(Serves 4)
Shrimp la Asiané
2 lb shrimp
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
Vegetables
1 lb Yu Choy
1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
10 button mushrooms
1 tbsp fresh ginger
300 g (10.5 oz) giant runner beans
2 tomatillos
Sauce
1 1/2 cups teriyake sauce
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp spiracha sauce
1/2 cup white wine
Devein shrimp, melt butter adding shrimp, ginger and garlic.
Saute till shrimp is pink and no longer translucent.
Chop Yu Choy, red onion, pepper, mushrooms, beans and ginger.
Add 2 tbsp of oil to pan then cook vegetables till they are soft and onion translucent.
Season to taste.
Blending Sauce
Over medium heat begin to stir teriyake sauce, rice vinegar, wine and brown sugar.
As sauce begins to thicken add spiracha sauce and blend well.
Drizzle the blended sauce over the shrimp after plating.
(Serves 4)
Lobster Salad
6 mini cucumbers
1 bunch of asparagus
1 each of red, orange and yellow bell
peppers
8-10 french shallots
250 g of each orange and red grape
tomatoes
250 g raspberries
1 mango
6 fresh figs
355 ml
Briannas Home Style blush
wine dressing
1 tbsp olive oil
Cut asparagus in half and slice the bell
peppers add olive oil to pan and soften, let stand and cool.
Slice mini cucumbers, halve grape
tomatoes and slice shallots,
then add
to asparagus and peppers.
Peel and slice mango, slice figs leaving
skin on and add to vegetable mix.
Also add whole raspberries.
Cut lobster meat to bite size pieces, add
to mixed salad.
Pour 1 bottle of dressing and gently mix.
(Serves 4-6)
(Serves 4-6)
Lobster Salad Number 2
6 mini cucumbers
8-10 french shallots
250 g of each orange & red grape
tomatoes
1 mango
1 Asian white pear
1 orange
355 ml
Briannas Home Style blush
wine dressing
2 lobsters
Chop cucumbers, fresh shallots and halve
grape tomatoes.
Add sliced mango, orange and Asian pear.
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