There is poop in Shrimp?

I love Shrimp.  You put shrimp in front of me and I will eat it all day every day.  Its the perfect appetizer at any party.  And not to mention how easy shrimp cocktail is either, buy it, put it on a plate with a little lemon zest and cocktail sauce.  BAM your Martha fricken Stewart!   So it only makes sense that since I'm cooking now (in true Greek style, this is a Greek girl in the kitchen) that I am  going towards anything with shrimp in it.  Because shrimp is easy.  I'm making a CIOPINNO!  For those of you who are not familiar with this most amazing dish it is a fish stew.

I find my recipe, make a list and head down to Hannafords.  As I am gathering all my ingredients I find the only thing left is the fish.  Since I am now what I like to call a chef - the fish guy remembers me from my fish taco experiment.  I'm calling just that.  An experiment because yeah it was that bad.  So Ken my fish guys yells at me for the other side of the counter - "Hey Mama whatcha maken for suppa tonight?"  Huh?  Really?  Does he really get to say that to me because I bought red snapper from him last week?  I smile and tell him what I'm making a ciopinno. "I need a pound of cod, little necks, scallops", and as I'm looking in the case I look up and say " and shrimp.  But not those ones, those ones are gray.  I need pink shrimp.  You know what I am talking about?"   He starts laughing and goes "hunny these become pink once you cook them."  NEWSFLASH - totally thought shrimp cocktail was raw shrimp.   "Oh right I know that" Grab my shrimp and run to the check out leaving behind sheer dumbness at the fish counter.  Note to self please start shopping at Market Basket.

I'm home in the kitchen I start preparing my ciopinno.  Cutting up the veggies, cleaning the little necks and cutting the cod.  I continue reading my recipe and to my surprise I have to clean the shrimp.  Hmmm...clean it?  I have to remove the poop line?  Shrimp have poop in them?  I am not okay with this.  Bracing myself for the worst, I go in the closet and grab a pair of plastic gloves that I use to color hair and  I begin to clean the shrimp.  Removing the shell then inspecting closely with my eyes & I look close and yup there it is!  The poop!!  As gross as I thought it was going to be it really not as bad as I thought.   I run a little cold water under the shrimp and remove it.  I will though say I will never do it with out gloves.  Cleanliness people, come on your touching poop!!  And I continue to cook.....and cook....and cook!  A hour and half later I made the most amazing meal of my life!  No joke George was licking the bowl!

So in conclusion clean a little poop -
xoxo
Jamie