Gulf Shrimp with cocktail sauce (photo by Kenn Stearns)

When asked if I prefer my shrimp stir-fried, baked, grilled, boiled, broiled, fried, or stuffed my response is always the same: Yes! When shopping for the Super Bowl feast last Sunday, $5/pound 16-20 count fresh brown (Penaeus aztecus) Gulf Shrimp was little more than an attractive nuisance. Fresh horseradish powered the red sauce. Two pounds didn’t last longer than halftime.

Shrimp is an excellent source of cholesterol – which is considered healthy for the circulatory system due to low levels of saturated fat which actually improves the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol and lowers triglycerides. The method of preparation can change things so we stick with boiled.