Your Invitation to the Table

This is the one we've been waiting to send you.

We started The Pierce Table with shrimp because it's lean and genuinely healthier than most of what's fried up at a restaurant! It is as a luxury protein, the second it hits the plate, and it's simply more affordable than the SAME version you'd pay $25+ for at a restaurant + tip. When it's cooked right, it is FAR better than the restaurant — and it turns any ordinary weekday into a reason to treat yourself.

Shrimp is one of the easiest foods to ruin. We know, because we made every single one of those mistakes in our own kitchen before we released this book for you.

What changed everything for us was realizing, how to cook shrimp can be taught. Once we started following these simple core principles — dry the shrimp, high heat, give it room, pull at the curl, and let the heat finish the job! — Our shrimp dinner stopped being a gamble. It started working. Every time!

We built this volume the way we intend to build every volume after it: a short teaching section you read once, the complete dishes you'll love and cook for years, and the parts most cookbooks leave out entirely — how to actually "plate it" and what to eat with it.

Cook straight through for a Friday-night or a date-night at home.

You don't need a reason to eat well.

The Pierce Table

Contents

Editor's Letter	01
Pick Your Way to Read the Guide	03
See a Mark? Here's What It Means	05
The Science of Tender Shrimp	06
The Shrimp Buying Guide	07
How Much to Buy	08
Preparation Fundamentals	10
How to Build a Shrimp Dish	11
Restaurant-Style Dishes	12
Southern Shrimp & Grits	12
Shrimp Po' Boy, New Orleans Style	17
Gulf Shrimp Ceviche	21
Shrimp Aguachile Verde	25
Crispy Honey Garlic Shrimp	29

Shrimp Problems, Solved	33
Sides, Balance & Hosting	34
The Beverage Pairing Guide	35
Seven Ways to Apply Heat	36
Dietary Substitutions	37
The Master Shopping List	39
What This Costs at Home	41
Cooking With Confidence	42

Pick Your Way to Read the Guide

You already know how you want to eat. Start there.

Pick Your Cooking Journey

New to cooking	Preparation Fundamentals	10
Comfortable following a recipe	Pick Your Mood, above
Want to understand the food	How to Build a Shrimp Dish	11

Find Your Dietary Path

Dairy-free / lactose-free	37
Gluten-free / coeliac	37
Egg, soy, sesame, peanut, tree nut	37
Lower sodium	37
Shellfish allergy	Not suitable — see below

See a Mark? Here's What It Means

Lactose-free is not dairy-free. Lactose-free milk still contains milk proteins. It works for lactose avoidance; it does not work for a milk allergy, where you need a plant-based alternative instead.

The full substitution tables — what to replace, what to replace it with, and what the swap does to the dish — are at the back of the book.

The Science of Tender Shrimp

Shrimp muscle is a tight coil of delicate proteins. Gentle heat sets them into a tender curl; too much heat squeezes them like a wrung towel, forcing out moisture and leaving the texture of an eraser. The window between the two is roughly a minute wide — which is exactly why shrimp punishes inattention more than it punishes inexperience.

1. Dry before the pan. Water is the enemy of browning. Pat shrimp truly dry, every time.
2. High heat, short time. Two to three minutes over real heat beats ten over timid heat — though size, thickness, and starting temperature all move that window.
3. Give them room. A crowded pan steams. Batches take two extra minutes and repay them in texture.
4. Pull at the C. A relaxed C-curl is done. A tight O is a message you missed.
5. Let carryover finish. Shrimp keeps cooking off the heat. Pull early; arrive perfect.

Carryover matters. Shrimp keeps cooking after it leaves the heat, especially resting in a hot pan sauce. Pull it one shade before done and let residual heat finish the job.

Colour helps but isn't enough — shrimp can blush pink before the centre is set, and stay pale in a crowded pan after it's overdone. Read the curl instead: a relaxed C means done; a tight O, head nearly touching tail, means it went too far.

Treat every time in every recipe — including ours — as a guide, not a contract. Pans, stoves, and shrimp sizes vary. The visual cues never do.

The Shrimp Buying Guide

Fresh vs. frozen. Almost all supermarket shrimp was frozen at some point. "Fresh" at the counter usually means previously frozen and thawed for display — and it has been sitting longer than the bag in the freezer aisle. Unless you live near a working dock, a bag of frozen shrimp is typically the fresher choice, and it lets you thaw exactly what you need.

Raw vs. precooked. Buy raw for every recipe here. Precooked shrimp can only be reheated, never truly cooked into a dish. It turns rubbery the moment it meets real heat, and it cannot pick up seasoning the way raw shrimp does in a hot pan.

Forms at the counter. Shell-on is cheapest per pound and protects flavour in the freezer, at the cost of five minutes of peeling. Peeled and deveined is the weeknight choice. Tail-on looks elegant on a platter, but every recipe here removes them — every bite should be ready to eat.

Wild, farmed and origin, briefly. Both wild and farmed can be excellent, and both can be poor — handling after harvest matters more than either label. Wild often has a firmer bite; farmed is more consistent in size and usually cheaper. No country or species is "the best in the world," whatever the sign says. Buy the best-looking option in your budget and let your eyes and nose make the final call.

How Much to Buy

These are shopping weights, not plate weights. Shell-on loses roughly a third to shells and heads; the peeled column already accounts for it, so buying peeled means paying for convenience, not for less food. Feeding big eaters, or serving shrimp as the only protein with no starch alongside? Add a quarter to the shell-on column and you won't run short.

Yes — but the word on the bag is not the number that matters. Market names are not regulated: one supplier's "jumbo" is another's "extra-large." The count per pound is the only figure that means the same thing everywhere.

The working rule: the more the shrimp must hold its own on the plate, the lower the count. The more it's one component among several, the higher the count — and the more you save.

Preparation Fundamentals

Thawing, safely. Best: overnight in the refrigerator in a bowl — hands-off and even. Fast: a sealed bag submerged in cold tap water for 20–30 minutes, changing the water once. Never warm water, never the counter — room-temperature thawing invites bacteria. Cook thawed shrimp within a day, and never refreeze raw shrimp once thawed.

The non-negotiable: dry shrimp. Pat shrimp truly dry with paper towels before they meet a hot pan. Surface water becomes steam, steam prevents browning, and browning is flavour. This single habit upgrades every seared-shrimp dish you will ever make.

Peel, devein, de-tail. Peel from the legs outward; the shell releases in one or two motions. Run a paring knife shallowly along the back and lift out the dark vein. Then pinch the tail shell and pull.

Season with restraint. Shrimp is sweet and delicate; it wants supporting seasoning, not a costume. Start with about a quarter teaspoon of salt per pound plus the recipe's spices, and adjust at the end — you can always add, never subtract.

Keep it clean. Raw shrimp gets its own board and its own side of the sink. Wash hands, knife, and board with hot soapy water before touching anything else. Keep raw shrimp refrigerated until the minute the pan is ready, and refrigerate cooked leftovers within an hour.

How to Build a Shrimp Dish

Two cautions: pick one acid, not two — they compete. And keep the herb family in the same neighbourhood as the heat: cilantro belongs with serrano, parsley with cayenne, dill with black pepper. Cross those and the plate stops making sense.

Estimated. Protein makes up roughly a quarter of this plate's calories — most of it from the shrimp, with the cheese carrying the rest of the richness.

Size Extra-large, 21/25, peeled, deveined, tails removed. Big enough to stay distinct against creamy grits, small enough to cook through in the two minutes the pan sauce takes.

Premium: Gulf brown shrimp, if your counter carries them — the fuller, more mineral flavour stands up to smoked paprika and cheddar.
Budget: 26/30 works with no change to the method — just check the curl thirty seconds earlier.

• Shrimp peeled, deveined, tails off, patted thoroughly dry, then seasoned and left on the board.
• Onion diced small, garlic minced, jalapeño sliced — all three in one bowl.
• Cheddar grated from the block and measured. Pre-shredded is coated in starch and won't melt smooth.
• Milk measured. Butter divided into two lots of 2 tbsp. Lemon halved.

Why this works: grits at a 4:1 liquid ratio cook to a spoonable, not stiff, texture, and whisking them into already-boiling salted water prevents lumps. Stirring the cheese and butter in off the heat keeps them silky instead of split.

1. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels — rinsing is unnecessary — and season with a quarter teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper.
2. Bring the water and half a teaspoon of salt to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
3. Whisk in the grits in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly for 30 seconds so they can't clump.
4. Reduce to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the spoon but still pourable.
5. Off the heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of butter, the cheddar and the milk until smooth. Cover to keep warm.
6. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
7. Add the garlic and jalapeños; cook 1 minute until fragrant, not browned.
8. Raise to medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer with the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. This is the moment that decides the dish — 2 to 3 minutes total, turning once.
9. Pull the pan off the heat the moment the shrimp are pink, opaque and curled into a loose C.
10. Stir in the lemon juice and hot sauce, scraping up the seasoned butter. Spoon the shrimp and pan sauce over bowls of grits.

Doneness: pink and opaque all the way through, curled into a relaxed C — not a tight O. They finish cooking in the hot pan sauce, so pull them a shade early.

Common mistakes: wet shrimp steam instead of searing — pat them truly dry. Adding cheese over direct heat can split the grits; always finish off the burner.

Scan for the 90-second video: watch the curl turn from C to O at pan level — the thing a photograph can't teach. piercepublishing.com/v1/grits

Size Large, 26/30, peeled, deveined, tails removed. You want several shrimp in every bite rather than one large one — this size fries in 90 seconds a side.

Premium: 31/40 for a higher shrimp-to-bread ratio.
Budget: Frozen 26/30 is genuinely the right choice here — thaw, dry hard, and the dredge won't know the difference.

• Shrimp peeled, deveined, tails off, patted very dry. Wet shrimp will not hold the dredge.
• Rémoulade mixed first and refrigerated — it improves while you work.
• Two shallow bowls set up: buttermilk in one, flour and cornmeal whisked with the seasoning in the other.
• Lettuce shredded, tomato sliced, pickles drained, bread split — all before the oil goes on.
• Wire rack set over a tray beside the stove. Not paper towels.

Why this works: a cornmeal-and-flour dredge over a buttermilk dip gives the shaggy, sandy crust po' boy shrimp are known for, and shallow-frying at 350°F sets that crust in about 90 seconds a side — fast enough that the shrimp inside stays tender.

1. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Toss with a teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning.
2. Stir the mayonnaise, hot sauce, mustard, paprika and the juice of half the lemon together. Refrigerate.
3. Set up two bowls: buttermilk in one; flour, cornmeal and remaining Cajun seasoning whisked in the other.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it reaches 350°F — a pinch of dredge should sizzle instantly.
5. Working in two batches, dip the shrimp in buttermilk, then press into the cornmeal mixture until fully coated.
6. Add the first batch to an uncrowded pan. Fry 90 seconds a side, until deep golden and curled into a loose C.
7. Lift to a wire rack. Repeat with the second batch, letting the oil come back to temperature first.
8. Lightly toast the split bread, cut side down, in a dry pan or under the broiler for one minute.
9. Spread the sauce generously on both cut sides. Layer lettuce, tomato and pickles, then pile the shrimp on hot.
10. Close, press gently, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Common mistakes: crowding the skillet drops the oil temperature and the crust turns greasy instead of crisp. Sauce spread ahead of time soaks the crumb — dress the bread just before assembly. Draining on paper towels steams the bottoms soft.

1 lb raw shrimp (26/30) · ¾ cup fresh lime juice · 1 tsp salt

2 Roma tomatoes · ½ red onion · 1 English cucumber · 1 serrano/jalapeño · ½ cup cilantro

1 avocado · 2 tbsp olive oil · tortilla chips

1. Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to a bare simmer — small bubbles at the edge, not a boil.
2. Slide in the shrimp for 60–90 seconds, until just opaque, then lift straight into ice water. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
3. Cut the shrimp into ½-inch pieces and toss with the lime juice and salt. Refrigerate 15 minutes — no longer.
4. While it cures, dice the tomato, onion, cucumber and chile, and chop the cilantro.
5. Fold the vegetables through the shrimp and its lime. Taste and add salt.
6. Fold in the avocado and olive oil last, gently, so it stays in pieces.
7. Serve immediately, cold, with chips upright alongside.

Common mistakes: curing longer than fifteen minutes tightens the shrimp. Unseeded tomatoes and cucumber turn it watery. Avocado folded in early bruises to paste.

½ lb very fresh raw shrimp (21/25), butterflied · ½ tsp salt

¼ cup lime juice · 1 serrano/jalapeño · ¼ cup cilantro · 1 garlic clove · 2 tbsp cold water

½ English cucumber · ¼ red onion · ½ avocado · tostadas or chips

1. Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry, then butterfly by slicing lengthwise, not quite through, so each opens like a book.
2. Safer option, recommended: bring salted water to a bare simmer, slide in the shrimp for 60–90 seconds until just opaque, then plunge into ice water and drain.
3. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in a chilled, shallow dish.
4. Blend the lime juice, chile, cilantro, garlic, cold water and salt until smooth and vividly green.
5. Pour the chile water evenly over the shrimp. If raw, let it stand 5–10 minutes and no longer.
6. Tuck the cucumber and red onion around the shrimp, top with avocado, and season with a pinch of salt.
7. Serve immediately, cold, with tostadas or chips.

Common mistakes: marinating longer than 10 minutes "overcooks" the shrimp in acid. Using tired shrimp raw is the one genuinely unsafe move in this book — poach it or pick another dish.

1½ lb raw shrimp (21/25) · ½ cup cornstarch · ½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp black pepper · 3 tbsp neutral oil

¼ cup honey · 3 tbsp soy sauce · 6 cloves garlic, minced · 1 tbsp rice vinegar · 1 tsp chile flakes · 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

3 spring onions · 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional) · steamed rice

1. Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and set it beside the stove — it goes in fast at the end.
2. Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry, then toss with the cornstarch, salt and pepper until evenly, thinly coated. Shake off the excess.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers and a shrimp tail sizzles on contact.
4. Add half the shrimp in one uncrowded layer. Cook 90 seconds without moving them, then turn and cook 60–90 seconds more, until golden and curled into a loose C. Lift to a plate.
5. Repeat with the second batch, letting the pan come back to temperature first.
6. Turn the heat down to low and pour in the glaze. It will bubble hard and thicken in 30–45 seconds — do not walk away.
7. Return all the shrimp, toss once or twice to coat, and take the pan off the heat immediately.
8. Scatter spring onions and sesame seeds and serve straight away, over rice.

Chef science: honey is mostly sugar, and sugar scorches well below frying temperature. Dropping the heat before the glaze goes in is the difference between a lacquer and a bitter, blackened pan.

Common mistakes: crowding the pan steams the cornstarch coating instead of crisping it. Adding the glaze over high heat scorches the honey and garlic within seconds. Letting the shrimp sit in the glaze off heat softens the crust.

Shrimp Problems, Solved

Problem	Cause / Fix
Rubbery shrimp	Overcooked, or precooked shrimp re-cooked. Pull at the loose C.
Watery pan, pale shrimp	Wet shrimp / crowded pan. Pat truly dry; cook in batches.
No browning	Heat too low or pan too full. Medium-high, fewer shrimp, don't move for 90 sec.
Bland shrimp	Under-salted. ¼ tsp salt/lb before cooking; finish with acid.
Burned seasoning	Spices hit empty hot oil. Add spices with the shrimp instead.

Problem	Cause / Fix
Breading falls off	Wet shrimp, or dredge sat too long. Fry within 30 min of coating.
Soggy fried shrimp	Drained on paper towels. Use a wire rack, single layer.
Aguachile tough	Marinated too long. Five to ten minutes maximum.

Sides, Balance & Hosting

1. Choose the frame. Wide shallow bowls for saucy dishes, plates with a real rim for the Alfredo and po' boy. Warm plates for hot food, chilled for aguachile.
2. Place, don't pour. Main element just off-centre, sauce spooned with purpose, garnish only where it means something.
3. Build a little height. Shrimp seated on top of the pasta or grits, never buried.
4. Leave negative space. A crowded plate reads as a pile; an uncrowded one reads as a course.
5. Wipe the rim. Thirty seconds, and the single most restaurant-looking habit there is.

The Beverage Pairing Guide

Seven Ways to Apply Heat

Stock this shelf once and all five dishes are ten minutes of shopping away: butter, neutral oil, olive oil, mayonnaise, garlic, onions, lemons, limes, hot sauce, rice vinegar, paprika, cayenne, chile flakes, Cajun/Creole blend, quick grits, flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, fettuccine, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, heavy cream, milk, buttermilk, cheddar, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, parsley, spring onions.

Dietary Substitutions

The Master Shopping List

Pantry & Dry Goods

Flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, quick grits, neutral oil, olive oil, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, dill pickles, soy sauce/tamari, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Cajun/Creole seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chile flakes, black pepper, salt, tortilla chips/tostadas, rice.

Bakery

French bread (1 loaf)

Produce — Hardy

Garlic (2 heads), yellow onion, red onion, lemons (3), limes (9), spring onions.

Meat & Seafood

5 lb raw shrimp total — 1 lb 21/25 (grits), 1 lb 26/30 (po' boy), 1 lb 26/30 (ceviche), ½ lb 21/25 freshest available (aguachile), 1½ lb 21/25 (honey garlic).

Dairy & Eggs

Butter, whole milk, buttermilk, cheddar (8 oz block).

Produce — Delicate

Roma tomatoes, tomato, lettuce, English cucumbers, avocados, serrano/jalapeño, cilantro, parsley.

What This Costs at Home

The pattern holds across all five: one restaurant portion tends to cost roughly what the ingredients for the whole household version cost — before tax, tip, delivery or service fees enter the arithmetic. This is the affordable-luxury math the whole book is built on. Shrimp is the variable that moves most; buy it frozen and on offer.