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Little Big Fish Make nice with not-so-fancy-schmancy shrimp 
Say shrimp and your frugal friends may roll their eyes. What? You’re not watching your food budget? While shrimp don’t make it on the top 10 list of bargain entrées, you can find reasonably priced crustaceans if you shop the supermarket frozen seafood section. In many parts of the country, the shrimp displayed on fish counters has been frozen and thawed. You may be getting a better quality and more reasonably priced product if you buy frozen shrimp and thaw it yourself. As much as it might pain you to do so, say No to convenience. You pay more for peeled and/or cooked shrimp than for raw, shell-on. You also sacrifice texture and flavor to save a few minutes. The shell keeps in the shrimp’s moisture. Size matters, but not in the obvious ways. The largest size shrimp, colossal, with 10 to the pound, are usually the most expensive. They don’t taste any better than smaller-size shrimp. The smallest size, the real shrimp of the freezer case, often bear the lowest sticker price. However, you’re paying for a lot of shell when you choose extra-small (61- to 70-count) shrimp. As a compromise, opt for extra large shrimp, at 26 to 30 to the pound, or large, with a count of 31 to 35 per pound. You may find this size on sale for less than $10 a pound. Buy shrimp in resealable bags so you can measure out what you need and keep the remainder frozen. You can keep shrimp in the freezer up to four months, allowing you to take advantage of sale prices. Even though you’ll have the luxury of available shrimp, you still have to plan ahead to defrost the ingredient. Remove the amount you want, place in a bowl in the refrigerator in the morning and the shrimp will thaw by dinner. Gazpacho Shrimp Salad 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled 2 cups sourdough or French bread cubes in 1-inch dice 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced 1 large celery rib, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 20 large cooked, peeled shrimp, cut into bite-size pieces if desired (see note) 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and bread cubes. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until bread is lightly browned. Remove bread cubes and set aside. Discard garlic. In a large salad bowl combine croutons, tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, onion, cilantro and shrimp. Toss gently, but well. In a cup, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika. Pour over salad and toss well. Makes 4 servings. Note: Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the thawed shrimp in the shell. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Drain and rinse the shrimp under cold water, which loosens the shells. Peel and proceed with the recipe.
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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
