Tag Archives: Fresh Rock Shrimp

Fresh Rock Shrimp – December Fun Fish of the Month!

This month our Fun Fish is Fresh Rock Shrimp, sourced from Beacon Fisheries!

These fresh rock shrimp are wild caught off the coast of Florida, unloaded, and processed in Fernandina Beach, Florida. The Fernandina location is one of the only plants in the United States to process and peel rock shrimp.

Rock shrimp have a sweet, slightly briny flavor, tasting like a cross between a shrimp and lobster. They can be grilled, baked, fried, marinated, and steamed. Cooking rock shrimp is similar to cooking other types of shrimp, although they tend to cook faster. Be sure to keep an eye on them to prevent them from getting too tough!

This month we partnered with Chef Shelby LeBleu of Elevation Foodservice Reps to prepare a Rock Shrimp Taco recipe. Chef Peter Rauen of Seattle Fish also prepared a delicious Rock Shrimp Mac & Cheese recipe, which is the perfect way to incorporate seafood into a traditional holiday side dish!


Rock Shrimp Mac & Cheese

Ingredients: 

  • 1.5 pounds – Cooked Macaroni Noodles 
  • 1/2 pound – Rock shrimp (seasoned to taste with sea salt, chili powder and smoked paprika) 
  • 1 Tbls. – Sunflower oil 
  • 1/2 cup – Roasted Poblano Peppers (diced) 
  • 1/2 cup – Butter 
  • 1/2 cup- Flour 
  • 2 cup – Whole Milk 
  • 1 cup – Heavy Cream 
  • 1 pound – Grated Fontina Cheese 
  • .5 pounds – Grated Sharp White Cheddar 
  • ½ cup – Raquelitas, Green chili corn tortillas, fried and processed to coarse crumbs for topping.  
  1. Season shrimp and sauté in sunflower oil for 2 minutes and set aside. 
  2. In sauce pot, add butter over low heat and melt.
  3. Stir in flour to make roux, remove from pot and set aside.
  4. Add milk and cream in saucepan and place on med high heat and bring to a boil.
  5. Turn down to low heat and blend in roux, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickened and then slowly add cheese, mixing well. Add peppers and then add shrimp, mix well.
  6. Blend the cheese sauce mixture with cooked noodles and place in greased baking dish, top with tortilla crumbs and bake at 350 deg F oven for 20 minutes. 

Rock Shrimp Tacos

For the Shrimp:

  • 1 lb shrimp (medium or large)
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Shrimp Taco Toppings:

  • 8 white corn tortillas
  • 1/2 small purple cabbage, 2 cups shredded
  • 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 4 oz Cotija cheese
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Shrimp Taco Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice, squeezed from 1 medium lime
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste
  1. Thaw and pat dry shrimp with paper towels and place in a medium bowl. Add seasonings and garlic and stir to combine.
  2. Place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and add shrimp in a single layer. Sauté 1-2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. As soon as they are cooked through (white inside with some pink and red accents outside), transfer to a serving platter and set aside to cool.
  3. Toast 8 tortillas over an open gas stovetop flame on medium/low heat (about 10 seconds per side) until lightly charred on the edges (or on a medium-hot skillet or griddle) until golden brown in some spots (30 seconds per side).
  4. Thinly slice cabbage, dice the avocado, finely dice the red onion, and coarsely chop the cilantro. Add these to your serving platter along with lime wedges. Build tacos by arranging toppings and shrimp over each toasted tortilla.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients and serve with assembled shrimp tacos.