Savor the flavor of America's favorite seafood in The Ultimate Shrimp Book.

Dive into this collection of more than 650 shrimp recipes. Whether you love shrimp fried, steamed, baked, broiled, or grilled, in mole sauce, cream sauce, cocktail sauce, peanut sauce, or garlic sauce, crispy, crunchy, tender, hot, or cold, you're about to fall in love with shrimp all over again. Rediscover the classics like shrimp rémoulade or go cutting edge with sweet and spicy black pepper caramel shrimp. Try shrimp twists on familiar international favorites like paprikash and vindaloo. And don't forget the crowd pleasers like shrimp nachos and popcorn shrimp. For a formal dinner, a quick family meal, or a tasty snack, The Ultimate Shrimp Book has the perfect shrimp recipe for every occasion.

Since the mid-1980s, Buffalo chicken wings have been a favorite in bars and restaurants across the United States and Canada. Hot and spicy, dipped into a tangy blue-cheese sauce -- what could possibly be better? Nothing, except it's not shrimp. The spicy coating works well with shrimp's sweetness -- a combination that practically screams for a cold beer or a glass of iced tea, Buffalo Shrimp are best served hot, right out of the pan.

For the Blue Cheese Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (such as Danish Blue or Gorgonzola; about 2 ounces)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

For the Shrimp

1 tablespoon unsalted buffer, melted
1/4 cup hot sauce (such as Texas Pete or Tiger Sauce, not salsa)
8 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 pound medium shrimp (35 to 40 per pound), peeled, leaving the final segment of the tail shell intact, and deveined
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. To prepare the blue cheese dip, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, lemon juice, onion salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl and mix until well combined. (The dip can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)

2. To prepare the shrimp, combine the melted butter and hot sauce in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Pour the oil into a large saucepan at least 4 inches deep and 10 inches in diameter; the oil should be 1 1/2 inches deep but reach no more than halfway up the sides of the pan. Alternatively, fill an electric deep fryer with oil according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you're using a pan, clip a deep-frying thermometer to the inside and place the pan over medium heat. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Adjust the heat to maintain that temperature while you prepare the shrimp. If you're using an electric deep fryer, set the temperature control to 375 degrees F.

4. Dredge the shrimp in the flour and shake off the excess. Fry the shrimp, about 10 at a time, for 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Remove the shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon or strainer, and place on paper towels to drain.

5. Toss the hot shrimp in the butter/hot sauce glaze, coating them completely. Serve warm with the blue cheese dipping sauce.

Makes 4 appetizer servings

BRUCE WEINSTEIN is the author of The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, The Ultimate Party Drink Book, The Ultimate Candy Book. A cooking teacher and a food and travel writer, Bruce’s work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Bon Appétit, Gourmet and Wine Spectator. He lives in New York City.

Visit the author's website at www.ultimatecook.com.

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