Florida Keys Treasures

I must admit that despite growing up in South Florida, I wasn’t a big fan of shrimp. This was due to most of the shrimp I tried was not fresh, often poorly frozen and simply boiled and served with a tomatoe sauce or lemon juice. Now I have again become a shrimp fan with the availablity of fresh Key West Pink Shrimp and  some great recipes.

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Are you tired of the same old shrimp? How lucky that you have so much shrimp to eat. Well here is a recipe for a Great Curry Shrimp dish you will love.

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2 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp 
6 tablespoons light rum – divided 
2 tablespoons fresh Key Lime juice 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
3 garlic cloves – minced 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (more…)

There are four species of commercial value shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic waters. They are categorized by four major colors: brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum), white shrimp (Penaeus setiferus) and royal red shrimp (Pleoticus robustus or Hymenopenaeus robustus).

The majority of the shrimp harvested in Florida are the pink species. Pink shrimp found along the Atlantic coast are usually brown; those found along the northern Gulf coast are often lemon-yellow; and those found in the Florida Keys and harvested in the Dry Tortugas are pink.

If you aren’t used to Key West Pink Shrimp, you might think the shrimp are already cooked or have been lying around too long. Trust me that is not the case. These shrimp as the photo shows, are naturally this color and with just a few moments of heat will reveal why we in the Florida Keys know we live in paradise.

You must try the Key West Pinks.