Shrimp are a crowd-pleaser and a great protein for any night of the week, because they cook up quick and can be used in all sorts of dishes. They come in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from small to jumbo. There are no hard-and-fast rules for sauteing — any size shrimp can be used.

By Mindy Fox

Sold fresh or frozen, shrimp may have the shell on or be preshelled and deveined. The shell-on version, while a bit more work to prepare, tends to be more desirable, as the shell helps the shrimp retain flavor and texture. The peeled and deveined sort is less work, but more expensive. Either way, shrimp should have a fresh, light saltwater scent, and they should be firm and free from black spots or yellowing.

If you are shelling your own shrimp, save the shells, keeping them frozen until ready to use. You can later gently simmer them in clam juice or chicken broth, cut with a bit of water, to create a nice broth for a soup, sauce or risotto.   

To shell and devein shrimp, simply remove the shell starting near the legs and pull it outward and around the shrimp. Place the shrimp on a cutting board and, with a sharp paring knife, cut a shallow incision along the curve of the back to expose the digestive tract. If the tract is clear, you can leave it as is. If it is black or brown, it contains digestive matter and should be removed; simply use the tip of your knife to separate it from the shrimp, then discard. The tail can be left on or gently pulled off, as desired.