Mother’s Day is also National Shrimp Day!

Have you made your Mother’s Day plans? Luckily this national food holiday is the same day.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner on May 10th and having so many of our usual Mother’s Day traditions stomped out by Covid-19, you may find yourself wondering what you can do that’s special for Mom! What’s better than taking charge of the kitchen and cooking a nice meal for her? If you are still practicing social distance you can always cook the meal and deliver it at a safe distance!

What’s unique this year is that Mother’s Day falls on National Shrimp Day!

Shrimp has gotten a pretty bad reputation over the years. Does it raise cholesterol? Is the shrimp farm-raised and is that bad for us? Let’s look at these questions more in-depth and see if they are really a cause for concern or not.

Just because a food is high in dietary cholesterol does not mean that your own levels of cholesterol will raise with it. If your body senses that you have more cholesterol than what you need in your body, your liver will regulate how much is created. There are people that are more sensitive to cholesterol than others though, so it is always best to consult your physician directly if you do have concerns about cholesterol sensitivity.

As with most things that are in high demand, we tend to worry if our food is being imported from other countries. The majority of shrimp that is consumed in America comes from Asian countries and there is a tainted image that most imported seafood is treated with antibiotics to ensure freshness and reduce the susceptibility of bacterial growth. Thankfully though, if you’re residing in the United States, the US does not allow any of their imported shrimp to be treated with Antibiotics and it is considered illegal to do so. Because there is only one government agency that oversees the inspection of imported shrimp there are possibilities that some antibiotic tainted seafood can still filter into the US food supplies but even so, there are no known threats to one’s health from these antibiotics.

One thing to ensure is that no one in the household is allergic to shrimp! That would definitely be an unappreciated Mother’s Day gift!

Shrimp can be a delicate protein to cook so to help make this Mother’s Day as special as can be here are a few tips to ensure your shrimp comes out juicy and delicious!

•  Frozen shrimp can be easy to find but only cook shrimp that is completely thawed. This will ensure an even cook; it is also important for the shrimp to be of similar size.
• Shrimp pairs heavenly with citrus
• Sear or Sauté your shrimp on high heat to make them juicy and tender
• Even if you buy your shrimp deveined, give them a quick check to make sure they are all deveined. You will find out below why this can be helpful and not just for taste!
• Shrimp will stick to the pan, but not to fear, once that initial outer layer has a sear they will release from the pan.
• On high heat, the shrimp should only take around 2 minutes per side.
• One of the keys to getting the shrimp deveined is to help you understand when the shrimp is fully cooked through. Focus your eyes on the vein line as far away from the tail as possible. Wait for all translucency to disappear from the deveined line and then you know it’s done.
• Finally, remove the shrimp from the pan. This is one of the most crucial mistakes of home chefs. Just 30 more seconds in the pan, even with the heat turned off, you will overcook those poor shrimp!

If you are stumped for a nice brunch styled shrimp dish, we have a recipe for Shrimp & Grits courtesy of Bobby Flay that will surely be a Mother’s Day hit!

"Ingredients:4 cups waterSalt and pepper1 cup stone-ground grits3 tablespoons butter2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined6 slices bacon, chopped4 teaspoons lemon juice2 tablespoons chopped parsley1 cup thinly sliced scallions1 large clove garlic, mincedBring water to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, scallions and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately."

What are your plans for Mother’s Day this year?