Old Bay!

Today's post is a BIG, delicious Thank You shout-out to The Food Addicts! Last month they hosted a fun, summery give-away, courtesy of Old Bay ... and I was lucky enough to win. Hooray! The gift pack included: Old Bay Seasoning, a Seafood Steamer Bag, an Old Bay Beach Towel, key chain bottle opener, a handy Old Bay Beach Bag, some great recipes and a fun Old Bay temporary tattoo! Honestly, it was like receiving a box of summer in the mail. You can see a picture of my winnings here ... and above, you can see what I did with it on Friday night.

While Old Bay may be more closely associated with crab, it puts me in mind of shrimp. Accordingly, we made a version of the classic shrimp boil; so festive and perfect for a steamy summer evening! This recipe is adapted from the one included on the back of the Old Bay Seasoning tin.

Old Bay Shrimp Boil:

• 1/4 cup of Champagne vinegar
• 1/4 cup of white vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/2 of a large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
• 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 pound of large shrimp, heads removed, shells on
  

Combine the vinegars, water, Old Bay, onion and garlic in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and stir to coat. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and allow the shrimp to steam for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked throughout. Remove shrimp, drain, and place into a covered dish to serve.

As written this recipe will serve 2 as a main course. I like to serve the shrimp with a splash of lemon, some spicy cocktail sauce and a bit of Sriracha sauce for kick. The shrimp were tender, beautifully seasoned, and thoroughly delicious! Best of all, this is a nearly no-cook meal. Slice a few onions, smash a little garlic and dinner will be on the table in under ten minutes - not to mention, its fun!

I took advantage of the "easy peel" shrimp offered at Fairway. They've still got their shells, but have been de-veined; and, once boiled, the shells will come away like magic. Make sure to have plenty of napkins at the ready ... this is a hands-on meal.

To round out the meal, I made some whole wheat garlic bread and a giant salad. Word to the wise: garlic bread photographs better than shrimp ... at least in my kitchen. What can I say? We were hungry and needed to get 'em while they were hot. Sorry! Don't judge a shrimp by its picture ... I can assure you they were as beautiful as they were scrumptious.

Thanks, again, Food Addicts! You haven't seen the last of the Old Bay here on Beach Eats ... there's more to come, indeed!

So, what's your favorite way to use Old Bay? Hungry Diva wants to know!