The steamed shrimp with a trio of sauces is a classic delicate and tasty appetizer perfect for elegant dinners or holidays. The preparation is very quick, and since it is served cold, you can prepare it in advance and serve it to guests upon their arrival. The sauces for serving the shrimp are mayonnaise-based, so they are quick to prepare as they all start from the same base.
If you like shrimp, don’t forget to also check out the recipe
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Steam
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 125.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.33 (g) of which sugars 5.33 (g)
- Proteins 23.82 (g)
- Fat 1.05 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 0.00 (g)
- Sodium 255.72 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 10 shrimp
- 1 quart water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Tools
- 1 Pot 3-4 quarts
- 1 Steamer
- 1 Colander
Procedure
Preparing steamed shrimp is very easy; if you have a steamer, you don’t have to do much. The same applies if you’re using a bamboo steamer… but if you’re like me and have neither, here are my tips on how to steam shrimp!
If you don’t have the classic steaming rack, you can improvise using the grandma’s method by using a steel colander inside the pot. If you don’t have a steel colander or its size is too large to fit into the pot, you can use the microwave rack—yes, you read that right, the one you use to cook food. Place the shrimp on this raised platform so that the boiling water doesn’t come into contact with the food.
Put a pot with about an inch of water on the heat and add a splash of lemon juice; it serves to flavor the shrimp and gives a more delicate taste.
Clean the shrimp by removing the head and the outer shell, leaving only the tail fins so that guests can use them to hold the shrimp and dip them into the accompanying sauces.
I recommend following my tips for thoroughly cleaning the shrimp and removing the internal vein.
Small shrimp cook in about 3 minutes, while larger ones require 6-8 minutes. The shrimp should not be overcooked or it will become rubbery. The cooking time varies with the size of the shrimp, so after 2 minutes, open the lid and check their progress; if needed, continue cooking.
Do not pile too many shrimp on top of each other; it’s best to place them in a single layer so they cook evenly!
Serve in a bowl with the three sauces in a separate bowl. For a more visually appealing effect, use lettuce to arrange the steamed shrimp.
Your steamed shrimp are ready!
Plating Tips
Arrange the shrimp on a lettuce leaf and serve with the accompanying sauces; I recommend making a single plate for each guest.
Wine Pairing for Steamed Shrimp
I recommend pairing this recipe with a white and sparkling wine, ideal for an aperitif, such as a Valdobbiadene or Prosecco.
