Peel ’n’ Eat “Hoppers”

Irv Miller

Ingredients:

For boiling shrimp:

4 quarts water
1 onion, cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
1 carrot, cut into chunks
6 peeled garlic cloves, crushed
1 lemon, cut in half and squeezed
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 bay leaves
2 pounds raw medium-size Gulf Coast shrimp (for boiling)

Instructions:

For boiling the shrimp: Place boiling ingredients into a 6-quart soup pot. Bring everything to a boil over high heat (including juiced lemon halves), reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to make for a flavorful boiling broth. Add the shrimp and stir. As soon as the water returns to a simmer (just a few minutes), remove from heat. The shrimp will have just begun to float and the shells will have turned pink. Strain and let shrimp cool; do not rinse the shrimp. Reserve the broth, if desired. Remove shells from shrimp leaving the last tail segment and tail intact. Devein the shrimp (optional) with a paring knife.