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Monday, August 31, 2009 - 8:15 PM
Street food often can present the essence of foodiedom. It can be a magical experience. Oftentimes, it is the simplest of foods that we love best. I grew up on the coast, near a town that proclaimed itself the shrimp capital of the world. I have eaten quite a lot of shrimp, and could probably name about as many ways to fix it as Bubba Gump. Some of the best shrimp I have ever had though, were from the famous shrimp trucks on the North Shore of Hawaii. There are several, but we went to the first one we came across. I believe it was Mackey’s shrimp truck. They have several different flavors. I had the garlic butter shrimp and my wife had the lemon pepper shrimp. The shrimp are served with the peels still on, but they are infused with intense flavor. Both styles of shrimp were really phenomenal. You eat at picnic tables, while chickens run around beside you. It seems a bit odd, but sitting at a picnic table, while chickens are running around you does not seem like a magnificent dining experience. However, the bold flavors of the food, while overlooking the North Shore of Oahu and eating the most lemony and garlic infused shrimp of your life takes your breath away. The freshness and the simplicity of the ingredients made it spectacular. You can eat food worthy of five stars without the tablecloth and stuffiness of a typical restaurant. It is more about the freshness of the ingredients and keeping things simple. I have since tried to recreate the shrimp. I believe the key is to let the shrimp soak for about 30 minutes in a mixture of lemon juice, pressed garlic, and olive oil. You really have to overwhelm the shrimp in the lemon and garlic. You must use no less then 10 cloves of garlic to get a great garlic flavored shrimp. After letting the shrimp marinate, sauté some more garlic in a pan with olive oil and then add a couple of tablespoons of butter. Once the butter starts to melt add the shrimp and add a splash of white wine. Freshen up the shrimp with some additional squeezes of lemon. The shrimp should take no more then a couple of minutes to cook. Serve over rice and enjoy. So simple, yet it is sublime. Bring your own chickens!
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