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Should I buy raw or cooked frozen shrimp?

Frozen shrimp lasts for months. You do the math. Q: Is it better to buy raw shrimp or cooked shrimp? A: Generally, the flavor and texture of shrimp you cook yourself will be better, although many people like the precooked because it saves them time.

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Jumbo shrimp. It's a contradictory name that always draws a laugh, but there really is something jumbo about shrimp these days: the demand for it. Americans consume more than 650 million pounds of shrimp annually, or about 2 1/2 pounds for every man, woman and child, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. That's more than double the total consumption of 20 years ago. And shrimp cocktail, that '50s icon, is still adored in the '90s. It remains our favorite appetizer when we go out to eat, reports the National Restaurant Association. Shrimp is also, not surprisingly, the top-selling seafood in the supermarket, where shoppers are being reeled in with scoop-your-own bins of shrimp, free steaming and smaller, easier-to-use packages of frozen shrimp. Unfortunately, this year consumers looking forward to the traditional summer shrimp season will discover higher prices and smaller shrimp. Still, there's plenty of shrimp showing up in local markets--enough to satisfy jumbo-size appetites. As the season gets underway, here are some answers to some commonly asked shrimp questions:

Q: Is it possible to get fresh shrimp that has never been frozen?

A: Virtually all shrimp is frozen. Sure, if you live near the Gulf Coast, you may be able to find some just-caught, fresh shrimp. But 98 percent of the shrimp sold in this country is frozen and there's a good reason for it. Fresh shrimp deteriorates in about two days. Frozen shrimp lasts for months. You do the math.

Q: Is it better to buy raw shrimp or cooked shrimp?

A: Generally, the flavor and texture of shrimp you cook yourself will be better, although many people like the precooked because it saves them time. James Peterson, a former chef and author of "Fish & Shellfish" (William Morrow, 1996), rarely buys cooked shrimp because he prefers shrimp cooked in the shell and he wants the juices from the shrimp to help season whatever he's cooking. However, he does concede that if an emergency shrimp salad or shrimp cocktail is needed, cooked shrimp are a handy solution. Dan McGovern of SeaFood Business magazine in Portland, Maine, also favors uncooked over cooked shrimp, especially those bags or bins of frozen cooked shrimp. "Think about it," he says. "Precooked shrimp has been frozen, thawed, cooked and frozen again. It's just not going to be as good as raw shrimp you cooked yourself."

Q: How can I tell if the shrimp being sold in the fresh fish case at my supermarket has been around too long?

A: In two words: Smell it. Many experts tell consumers to make sure the shell looks moist and shiny, the meat doesn't look dried out and there are no suspicious black marks on the shell that can indicate deterioration. Unfortunately, all those things can be doctored or masked. The easiest, best thing to do is smell the shrimp. It should have a slightly briny odor. If it smells of ammonia or just smells plain stinky-bad, don't buy it.

Q: What's the safest way to handle shrimp once you get it home?

A: Refrigerate it immediately. Do not let it sit at room temperature. Precooked shrimp can be refrigerated for up to a week; raw shrimp should be refrigerated for no more than a couple of days, says Daniel Fung, a food microbiologist at Kansas State University. "Shrimp spoils much faster than beef or chicken," explains Fung, because shrimp is a lot easier for bacteria to digest. Cooking the shrimp will kill most bacteria; freezing barely kills any. So whatever you do, don't eat raw shrimp.

Q: Where does most of the shrimp sold in this country come from?

A: Overseas. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the United States imports about 600 million pounds of shrimp from countries in Central and South America and Southeast Asia. An additional 300 million pounds are harvested from U.S. waters. Although shrimp farming is a booming business in countries like Thailand, Ecuador, Indonesia, China and India, less than 1 percent of the U.S. shrimp harvest is farm-raised because labor costs are too high.

Q: So why are shrimp so expensive?

A: Partly it's supply and demand. Partly it's because shrimp production can be very expensive and frustrating because so many things can go wrong. (See next question for examples.)

Q: So how does this year's shrimp supply look?

A: Not so great. "Supplies are tight and prices will be high for the larger sizes," says Roger Berkowitz, owner and founder of Legal Seafood, which sells 15,000 pounds of shrimp weekly at its 17 restaurants in Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C. area. The reasons for this are varied, say industry watchers. Among the factors cited by SeaFood Business magazine's McGovern and others: * Heavy rains, thanks to El Nin~o, have adversely affected shrimp farms in Ecuador, a major source for shrimp sold in the U.S. Record rainfall also has contributed to the problems of South Carolina's shrimp farmers, who are having their third consecutive year of poor production. * The political unrest in Indonesia and the economic problems throughout Southeast Asia have disrupted shrimp farming in some of the world's biggest shrimp exporting countries. * Serious problems with shrimp viruses last year in Texas and Ecuador reduced harvests, and the effects are still being felt this year, says George Flick, a food technologist at Virginia Tech. * Thailand, one of the world's largest producers of farm-raised shrimp, has cut back its shrimp production because of the ecological damage the farms have caused. * The cost of bycatch reduction devices--required on all Gulf shrimp trawlers as of May 15 to keep fish out of the shrimp nets--are being passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.

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Q: What's a shrimp and what's a prawn?

A: Some restaurants use the word "prawn" to describe a very large shrimp, but unless you're a purist and are referring to the Dublin Bay prawn (a close cousin of the shrimp, but more like a mini-lobster), consider "prawn" just some marketing guy's idea of a fancy word for shrimp.

Q: My supermarket fish case has Black Tiger shrimp, white shrimp, Gulf pink shrimp. What do all these names mean?

A: You're right to be confused. The problem is the penchant for naming shrimp by color--white, pink, brown--even though a pink can be white, a brown can be gray, etc. In addition, white shrimp can mean Chinese white, Ecuadoran white or Mexican white. It's hard to tell them apart, and frankly the differences in flavor and texture are often minimal. But here are some guidelines: * Pacific white shrimp: The Chinese whites, the Ecuadoran whites, the West Coast or Mexican white, are all members of the penaeus or Pacific white shrimp family. They have a very mild flavor, although some shrimp lovers feel that the farm-raised whites from China and Ecuador tend to be softer and sometimes a bit more watery than the wild variety. * Gulf shrimp: These can be called Gulf pink, brown or white, but it's hard to tell them apart because their names doesn't always describe the way they look (a pink can be white, etc.). They're all mild and sweet, although browns tend to be more bland and sometimes have a slight iodine taste. The pinks and whites are often considered the ideal domestic shrimp. * Black Tiger: A distinctive shrimp that actually looks like its name. Tigers have gray-to-black stripes on gray or bluish shells. Most of the Black Tigers imported into the United States have been farm-raised in Thailand, Indonesia or China. They tend to be blander and softer than other species.

Q: Speaking of names, what about medium, large, jumbo--do those size names mean anything?

A: Not really. They may give you a sense of the shrimp's size, but one store's jumbo may be another store's large. What you need to do is pay attention to the count, or the number of shrimp per pound. Shrimp are almost always grouped by count, (a range of numbers usually with a spread of four), and that is a better indication of size. Federal guidelines recommend jumbo shrimp as 21 to 25 count (between 21 to 25 shrimp per pound), extra-large as 26 to 30, large as 31 to 35, medium as 36 to 40. Very large shrimp are often called U-10 or U-12, meaning that there are under 10 or 12 per pound. For cooks trying to figure out which size shrimp to buy, it may be more realistic to just eyeball it and choose whatever size (and price) you think would suit the dish you're making.

Q: What about deveining the shrimp?

A: If the vein, which is really the shrimp's digestive tube, is big and black and nasty-looking, take it out. (The simplest way is to shell the shrimp, make a slit along the back with a paring knife and then pick out the vein under cold running water. You also can buy a gadget, called a shrimper, that slides under the shell and removes the shell and vein together.) If the vein is barely noticeable, however, don't bother with it. Or you can pay someone else to do it. Like many markets, America Seafood in Arlington will steam shrimp in Cajun or Old Bay seasoning for free. But owner Gary Royce's most popular service (at an extra $2 a pound) is peeling and deveining. "It's a messy job. People don't want to do it," he says. On a typical Saturday, he'll peel and devein more than 50 pounds of shrimp for customers. Around holidays, that amount can reach 300 pounds.

Q: Is it better to cook shrimp in their shells?

A: That depends. The shells help seal in flavor and keep the shrimp moist, but it means guests will have to mess with peeling their shrimp (and deveining, if necessary). Peeled and deveined shrimp are neater and more attractive, but not quite as tasty. However, you also need to consider how you're serving the shrimp. If they're tossed with pasta or in a rice dish, you probably want them already shelled. If you're grilling the shrimp and serving them with a simple sauce, you might want to keep the shells on.

Q: My market will steam shrimp, plain or spiced, for no extra cost. Is this something new?

A: It's certainly a growing trend, according to several industry publications. Supermarkets are trying to offer shoppers more ready-to-eat meals to compete with take-out chains, like Boston Market. Since customers are often wary of cooking fish and seafood, some markets have decided to do it for them. Whether it's worth it to you depends on your dinner plans. A big bowl of spiced shrimp from the fish department, a salad from the market's salad bar and bread from the market's bakery could be just the kind of no-brainer dinner you need at the end of a busy day. Spicy Pan-Roasted Shrimp (4 servings) From "Great Fish, Quick" by Leslie Revsin (Doubleday, 1997). 1 3/4 pounds large shrimp in the shell, or approximately 1 1/2 pounds frozen, cleaned shrimp, defrosted (about 50 pieces)

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2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard, preferably French

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 tablespoons cold butter

3 tablespoons chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and tender green parts

If using shrimp in the shell, peel them. Pick up each shrimp and make a shallow slit down the middle of the length of the back to expose the black intestine. Lift out the black intestine with the tip of your paring knife or flush it out under cold running water. If using defrosted, cleaned shrimp, you can skip this step. Either way, dry the shrimp well with paper towels and set aside. Put the mustard in a small bowl and gradually stir in the Worcestershire sauce until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, cayenne, cumin, chili powder and thyme and set the mixture aside. (This mixture can be made 2 or 3 days ahead and then covered and refrigerated until ready to use.) Place a large skillet over a medium-high flame and add 3 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter has almost completely melted, add the chicken broth and the shrimp, season with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp, stirring, until they're about half-cooked, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard mixture and cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes more, until they're fully cooked. (To check, cut a shrimp in half at the thickest part to see if it's white throughout.) Take the skillet off the heat and remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon to a warm bowl or platter while you finish the sauce. Cut the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into small pieces. Put the skillet back over medium-high heat to bring it to a strong simmer, and scatter the butter over the bubbling liquid. Swirl the pan by the handle until the sauce has absorbed the butter and is nicely thickened. Turn off the heat, grind in a generous amount of fresh black pepper. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the scallions and the shrimp to combine well but not to cook them any further. The scallions should remain bright green and crunchy. Spoon the shrimp right away onto warm dinner plates or a warm serving bowl or platter and serve right away. Per serving: 327 calories, 33 gm protein, 4 gm carbohydrates, 20 gm fat, 353 mg cholesterol, 11 gm saturated fat, 611 mg sodium Curried Shrimp (4 servings) From "Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking" by Mark Bittman (Macmillan, 1994).

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium-size red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut

Juice of 1 lemon

About 1/2 cup fish or chicken stock or water, as needed

1 pound large shrimp, peeled

In a large, fairly deep skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes more. Turn off the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Place the onion mixture in a blender or food processor along with the mint, cayenne, cumin, coconut, lemon juice and as much stock as needed to make a thick liquid when blended. Blend until smooth. Return to the pan, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately, with white rice. Per serving: 242 calories, 20 gm protein, 12 gm carbohydrates, 12 gm fat, 175 mg cholesterol, 5 gm saturated fat, 503 mg sodium Shrimp with Rum and Mint (4 servings) From "Miami Spice" by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing, 1993).

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies, seeded and minced

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint, cilantro or parsley

4 scallions, white and tender green parts, trimmed and finely chopped

1/4 cup dark rum

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp, garlic and chilies and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the mint, scallions, rum, 2 tablespoons of lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the shrimp are done, about 1 minute. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Boil the sauce over high heat until thick and syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Correct the seasonings, adding more salt or lime juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and serve at once. Per serving: 252 calories, 29 gm protein, 3 gm carbohydrates, 10 gm fat, 286 mg cholesterol, 6 gm saturated fat, 567 mg sodium

washingtonpost.com - SHRIMP! ANY QUESTIONS? FRESH OR FROZEN? SHELL ON OR OFF ...

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