Battle Shrimp

For our first competition, on Oct. 4, 2008, we decided on Battle Shrimp. We thought it would just be a one-time-thing, something fun to do on a Saturday. So Becky and Sherri dueled it out against their husbands, Chris and Brian. At the end, the judges asked, "When's the next one?"

Becky and Sherri, Dish 1: Shrimp Poke

Becky and Sherri decided to go with dishes inspired by their travels.

This is a shrimp version of the Hawaiian dish that's usually made with raw tuna. Both women have had it in Maui in the past.
















Becky and Sherri, Dish 2: Baja-style Shrimp "Fish" Tacos

This dish was inspired by Sherri's visits to Mexico. The shrimp was beer-battered and fried, and served on warm tortillas with a cabbage slaw, salsa, and chipotle-mayo sauce.

Becky and Sherri, Dish 3: Cape Cod-Style Shrimp "Lobster Rolls"

Yes, they look a bit bedraggled here. There were homemade fries too, but they were eaten before the pictures were taken. Boo. First lesson: Must take pictures before the judges dig in! For this dish, Becky drove the proper side-loading buns down from Boston. The judges' conversation revolved around whether the bun should have been toasted. A snarky judge said: "The toasting makes the bread taste stale." From Becky and Sherri: "We stand by our dish."

Becky and Sherri, Dish 4: Marscapone Gelato and Shrimp Chip Sundaes

All agreed, this was a surprisingly tasty dessert. The gelato was scooped into Thai shrimp chips, and then more shrimp chip was microplaned on top. The lovely balance of creamy, salty, and sweet surprised even the contestants. There was no destination inspiration, per se, except for the creativity of some of New York's molecular gastronomists.












Brian and Chris, Dish 1: Shrimp Popsicle

It was clear from the beginning that Brian and Chris would go in a more playful direction. They purchased pop art plates to serve their sometimes fun, sometimes silly creations on. This first dish, a warm shrimp "pop" was a hit.

Brian and Chris, Dish 2: Shrimp "Kiss" Dumplings with Mango Chili Sauce

Judges debated the heat level of the sauce, but all agreed that the mango and shrimp paired well together here.













Brian and Chris, Dish 3: Shrimp Kiev-Cordon Bleu with Fried Basil Leaf


The shrimp was crispy and tasty, and even though much of the butter filling leaked out, it seasoned the bread crumbs on the way and left its mark. Judges were also impressed with the tasty fried basil leaf.











Brian and Chris, Dish 4: Jurassic Jell-O

This light-hearted dish was, though it is hard to see in the picture, a mold of pineapple Jell-O with a "fossilized" dried shrimp in the middle.

The most fun dish of the day was, unfortunately, the team's downfall. It will never be forgotten, though few involved would ever choose to eat this flavor pairing again.