Shrimp or Lobster?

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)

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.

Mix two cups of dressing and add lobster

(Serves 4)