Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce

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The summer may be winding down but patio weather lingers. Sure, school is back in session but we still have acres of good weather ahead of us. So before we dig out our casserole dishes and launch into soup mode, let’s keep those effortless summer recipes going a little longer. Today’s Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce fits that particular brief perfectly. It can be made in advance, it pairs well with a beer or a crisp glass of white, and its cook-time is minimal. Sounds pretty summery to me!

Everyone has been to a party with a shrimp ring. You know the neat rows of shrimp you pluck from the freezer at the grocery store and defrost on the counter? Now, no shade to the frozen shrimp ring manufacturers, but I am always surprised at how flavorless those shrimp tend to be. Now, before you come for me, I haven’t tried every brand of cooked frozen shrimp on the market, so I can’t say that delicious previously frozen cooked shrimp doesn’t exist. It’s just that my experience has led me to believe that that may be the case. Happy to be wrong. 

I find those shrimp rings even more depressing knowing that poaching your own shrimp is seriously quick and seriously hands-off. And let’s not talk about the complimentary cocktail sauce those frigid shellfish come with. Does it take more effort to make this Peach Habanero Hot Sauce? Yes, but barely. And have you ever looked up cocktail sauce? It’s mostly ketchup and horseradish, you can easily make it at home the way you want it. 

I didn’t intend for this post to get so heated. Apparently, I have *feelings* about shrimp rings. And if you’re a shrimp-ring-lover, you do you, boo. You like what you like and you make what you have time to make. But just humor me and listen to how easy it is to make these Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce and see if you change your mind.

The first thing we’re going to do is whip up the Peach Habanero Hot Sauce. Start by finely chopping a habanero. Use gloves for this. If you watched the video for this recipe on IG, you know I didn’t and yes I did pay the ultimate price when I took my contacts out at the end of the day. I simply never learn. Use as many habaneros as you can handle. One was perfect for me because I didn’t want the heat to completely obliterate the peach flavor. But if heat is your thing, go forth and set your tongue ablaze. If heat is not your thing, feel free to trim things back. Use half a pepper or no pepper. With just the peach, you’ll still have a nice tart sauce for your shrimp.

Once the pepper issue has been addressed, dice up a couple of peaches. Pop the peach chunks into a food processor and blitz until very smooth. Set the puree aside and slice a few shallots into thin half-moons. Heat neutral oil in a skillet and add the shallots and habanero. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until the shallots are just translucent. Pour in the peach puree, some rice vinegar, and a little honey to balance. Simmer for 10 minutes. To thicken the sauce whip up a cornstarch slurry by whisking two tablespoons of water and two teaspoons of cornstarch together. Stir the mixture into the simmering peach sauce and continue to stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take the sauce off of the heat and let cool completely. 

Okay, so that’s your sauce. Was that so hard? I mean it’s harder than tearing a packet open with your teeth, but what isn’t? And you can make the sauce up to a week in advance. With the sauce out of the way, it’s time to move on to the shrimp. These are Argentine shrimp, they are coral when raw. Admittedly, this does make them a little easier to overcook or undercook because they don’t change color. But you can assess their doneness by the rigidity of their flesh. They will feel firmer when they are ready. But I’m getting ahead of myself. We still have to make the poaching liquid. 

Start by peeling and thinly slicing a couple of cloves of garlic. Next, add two tablespoons of butter to a large skillet. Add the garlic, some gochucaru or chili flakes of your choice, and salt. More salt than you think you need, we want to season these shrimp thoroughly. Add a cup of water, a lemon’s worth of juice, and two fresh bay leaves. Leave the poaching liquid to simmer, so all the flavors can get acquainted. And then, it’s time to introduce your shrimp. Just plop them into your beautiful poaching liquid in an even layer. Cook for 5 minutes and then quickly extract them from the liquid. Chill the shrimp down before serving and save the poaching liquid for an upcoming batch of seafood stock. It’s a flavor starter waiting to happen. 

Now, for serving. I like to serve my shrimp on a platter piled high with crushed ice. You can get your fridge to make the ice for you if it can. My fridge is not so technologically advanced, so I used a Lewis bag to tackle my ice. Once the ice is on there, lay in your shrimp. Add a bowl of the Habanero Peach Hot Sauce and lemon wedges and that’s your Poached Shrimp done! Frozen shrimp ring who?

With very little work you get a stunning appetizer, leftover hot sauce that’s magic on burgers, and the beginnings of a truly righteous stock. See what a little extra effort buys you? So forget the shrimp ring and give these Poached Shrimp with Peach Habanero Hot Sauce a try.

Enjoy!