This Shrimp Boil Is the Essence of Summer

There’s a seitan version, too

Photo: Manny Rodriguez/Getty Images

Here’s an easy weekday summer dinner for seafood lovers and vegans. For the former, take advantage of summer shrimp season if your seafood shop has access — and use your favorite beer instead of water, preferably something not too dark or heavy. Or swap out seafood for seitan and be sure to make your own seitan as the recipe suggests, since it’s so much better than store-bought.

New Orleans Shrimp Boil

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces beer, or 1½ cups water
• 1½ pounds waxy potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into chunks
• 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• Salt
• 1½ pounds whole large shrimp (frozen are fine), peeled if you like
• 4 ears corn, husked and broken in half
• Tabasco or other hot sauce
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Put the beer (or 1½ cups water) in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, cayenne, and a couple of big pinches of salt and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles steadily and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender around the outsides but not quite done at the centers, 10 to15 minutes.
2. Add the shrimp and corn and return the liquid to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat, cover, and let the pot sit until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the potatoes are fork-tender, just a minute or 2. Drain through a strainer set over a large bowl, reserving at least half the cooking liquid for serving (preferably in a pitcher or gravy boat).
3. Taste the shrimp and vegetables, and sprinkle with more salt if you like. Serve right away, passing the hot sauce, lemon wedges, and cooking liquid at the table.