The Steak-Seafood Combination

When asked to name a special meal for a celebration or romantic occasion, many people think of a steak and seafood combination.  In the United States, fine restaurants offer combination platters with steak and lobster or steak with shrimp.  Meals with these ingredients are sometimes called "surf n' turf" or "land n' sea."  If it's not part of the main entree itself, many diners choose shrimp cocktail to start their meal. 

America's appetite for shrimp has grown so much that it is now more popular than tuna; shrimp makes up 20 percent of all seafood consumed in the country.  A party plate that's the hit of the night: extra large shrimp with a bowl of cocktail sauce.  A game day favorite: shrimp dip, made mild or spicy.  One of the most popular seafood entrees remains shrimp scampi.  Whenever jumbo shrimp appears at a party people seem to flock to the table. 

Frozen shrimp is quick to thaw: simply place them in a colander and run under cold water for several minutes.  If they have a shell, then simply clean them by holding the shrimp with the tail away from you and, using kitchen scissors, cut through the shell along the top of the shrimp to the tail.  Peel back the shell and remove it, taking care to keep the tail intact.  While holding the peeled shrimp under running water, you can use a paring knife to remove the black vein along the top side of the shrimp.

Shrimp can be either wild-caught or farm-raised. Wild-caught (or "free-range") shrimp naturally exist in bays, estuaries, and oceans. Farm-raised shrimp are grown in a more controlled environment. Farm-raised shrimp are also known as pond-raised or aquacultured.

Since a steak-seafood combination is so popular and also readily available, almost anyone can prepare these two together.  That, plus the availability of home delivery, makes this a winning combination.