Shrimp Rolls

In a post yesterday, I mentioned that I was going to try an experiment -- shrimp rolls. They were really good! Kathleen and I loved them. Our 5-year-old son Peter wasn't thrilled. I've heard that children need to try something several times before they will like it. Since Kathleen and I loved this, Peter will have plenty of opportunities to try it again.

Shrimp Rolls

The first time I ate a lobster roll, I was hooked. This New England culinary invention is delicious. But my wife, Kathleen, can’t eat lobster. So I decided to try a variation; instead of using lobster, use shrimp. Not only can Kathleen eat shrimp, shrimp are more economical than their larger crustacean cousins.

While this recipe requires some advance preparation, it requires little hands-on labor. Spend a little time roasting the shrimp early in the day, and the rest of the dish comes together in just a few minutes before dinner.

1 pounds shrimp (26-30 count)*
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup diced celery (about 1 stalk)
4 good rolls (hot dog rolls are fine, but the shrimp rolls are even better on higher quality rolls)
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and devein the shrimp. (You can save the shells in a zip top plastic bag and store in the freezer to make shrimp stock.) Place shrimp on a baking sheet, add olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss with your hands. Spread the shrimp in a single layer to promote even cooking. Roast until shrimp are pink and firm to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the lemon juice. Chop the shrimp into bite-size pieces; I find cutting 26-30 count shrimp in half does the trick. Combing the shrimp, mayonnaise mixture and celery in a bowl; toss lightly to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as desired.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place rolls cut side down in the melted butter. Toast until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Spoon the shrimp mixture into the toasted rolls.

*26-30 count refers to the number of shrimp per pound. The higher the number, the more shrimp it takes to make up a pound, therefore the smaller the shrimp.