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“Put mustard in your brownies,” he said. “I’m serious. Put. mustard. in. your. brownies.”
That was the advice given by Chef Brandon Collins, who just happens to be a mustard sommelier. He says it’s like chocolate and coffee, only it’s now chocolate and mustard. He says it adds a little acidity and some contrast, which I took to mean, sending the taste buds into another orbit. I had an idea. I looked at the thawing shrimp in the refrigerator and grabbed the box of Zataraines Shrimp and Crab Boil on the counter to check the ingredients. There it was—listed as the first spice ingredient—mustard seed.
Hey! I’m your host Cave Buckner, and you’re listening to The Southern Minute.
This intro was the start of a chapter in the fascinating book How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life, by Mandy Naglich. Like many people who love seafood, shrimp is the go-to for a sometimes affordable, flavorful and easy source of protein to add to a zillion dish recipes. Elvis probably ate peanut butter and shrimp sandwiches when he was driving his delivery truck in Mississippi. I’ll bet an insider told him about adding mustard for an extra kick. The more I think about it, that would make a bulldog break his chain.
So let’s see what makes mustard, the second most widely used spice in the world—right behind the peppercorn, so special when it comes to that crustacean of the oceanic cuspidor, that pink delicacy of the chain steakhouse buffet, and whose sweet meat has caused more than one or two debutantes to graze off of their seating partner’s shrimp cocktail glass when they weren’t lookin’.
Just makin’ a flat statement, mustard seeds add a sharp, tangy and slightly pungent warmth to a boiled shrimp. It cuts through the sweetness of the meat. For sauteed or grilled shrimp, mustard can also serve as a complimentary binder to hold other dry seasonings. Typically, seeds made into mustard with an acid, such as vinegar, and a fat, like Dukes mayonnaise, are of the brown seed variety used in Dijon mustards. They are noticeably hotter, when compared to “yellow,” also known as white mustard seeds.
Growing up, if we had shrimp in our refrigerator for a special occasion, I knew that blue, yellow and red box was not far behind. How is a packet of New Orleans-based Zataraines, dumped into boiling water able to infuse shrimp with such flavor? I should mention that besides mustard seed, coriander seed, red pepper, dill seed, bay leaf and allspice are added to this dry spice mix as well.
Fresh brown shrimp ,the most common commercial species in the western Gulf, especially off Texas. They feature a distinct, robust flavor profile and inhabit muddy or sandy bottoms at depths down to 160 meters.
Shrimp are crustaceans, mostly comprised of a segmented muscular body, articulated legs and an exoskeleton made of a hard protein known as chiton. The role of this exoskeleton, according to Nolan Bryce, in his Table and Spoon article, “Unlocking the Secrets of Shrimp Flavor Absorption,” says, “The primary role of the exoskeleton in flavor absorption is more about protection and less about direct absorption. It shields the delicate flesh inside, allowing it to absorb flavors more evenly and preventing the loss of natural juices and flavors.
He says that while the exoskeleton is hard and seemingly impenetrable, it has tiny pores and cracks that allow flavors to seep in the cooking and marinating phase, depending upon the cooking method. The flesh of the shrimp is highly absorbent for a couple of reasons. Now remember, when I talk about absorption, I’m talking about a passive diffusion.
The flavors of spices are comprised of chemical compounds, which can be hydrophilic (water-loving) or lipophilic (fat-loving). Aromatic spice compounds vary in the ability to become soluble in water or fats, but it is the hydrophilic compounds that are more easily absorbed in the high-water content of the shrimp’s flesh, particularly if shrimp are boiled, as opposed to sautéed or fried, which would have the added lipids in the oil, to help with solubility of any flavor fat-dissolving compounds.
Because of the proteins and fats in the shrimp’s muscle tissue, a cook such as yourself can achieve complexities of flavor that are hard to obtain in other protein sources. But flavor absorption is influenced by shrimp condition (the fresher, the better, which can also mean if the shrimp were flash-frozen, right after they were caught), but also pH, cooking temperature, time and the presence of other compounds that can enhance or inhibit the flavor binding process.
INTERLUDE BREAK
What about marination? I love a good shrimp ceviche, which is shrimp poached in lime juice. Soaking shrimp in an acid, such as lime juice, helps to break down the proteins on the surface of the shrimp, making it easier for flavors to be absorbed. Like everything in cooking, timing is important, so you don’t turn the shrimp into rubber or mush.
* Why is this (as a question)? When heat is applied to applied to a protein, the protein strands are altered, lose function and coagulate to form a solid structure. The longer that shrimp is cooked, the proteins bond tighter until the flavor solution is squeezed out like a sponge, so the shrimp is tough in texture, becoming mushy as muscle tissue continues to break down.
Zataraines Crab and Shrimp Boil package of dry spices has been available for over 100 years.
Yasmine Maggio, writing for Serious Eats on-line suggests a dry brine of kosher salt and baking soda, before cooking, particularly when sautéing, such as shrimp scampi or grilling. Editorial Director Daniel Gritzer says, “Salt and a higher pH, which is more alkaline, help the shrimp retain moisture by interfering with how efficiently the proteins can bond with each other so that they contract less. He recommends using one teaspoon of kosher salt and a quarter teaspoon of baking soda for every pound of shrimp, whether it is shelled or not. 15 minutes is recommended, or as necessary up to an hour. While waiting, the shrimp should be refrigerated. I’ll have links of these articles on The Southern Minute web page, should you care to delve into this further.
I need to add that you should watch your brined shrimp regardless of cooking method. The cooking time will be extended. Gritzer says the shrimp will have a specific texture. “It’s plump, it’s juicy, it’s not mushy, but it’s also not very tender.” So, there is a “trade-off. Remember this when brining.
I could talk about shrimp all day, the types of Gulf shrimp, how to buy it in the supermarket for the type of recipe you have, the shrimp industry regulations, etc., and I’ll add links to all of these topics. My Napolitan friend Anna used to cook for a living. I have had many seafood dishes at her table with her boys, because that’s what Naple’s cuisine is known for—their seafood.
She prepares shrimp scampi for many dishes that are served with pasta, such as fruti di mare. I’ve never seen her boil one shrimp in twenty years, and I’ll have to ask her why, even after visits to this country where I have cooked boiled shrimp for her, much to her delight. After all, I share a table with someone who knows excellent Italian cuisine. Maybe my Zatarains is the secret ingredient after all. All hail the mustard seed!
One last thought: I try to buy Gulf Shrimp when I can get them in my small town, to support the American shrimpers, but I can’t always find them. Please keep them in mind the next time you buy shrimp at your local grocery store.
You’ve been listening to The Southern Minute, and I’m your host Cave Buckner. I’ve made myself hungry. Think I’ll pull some jumbo wild caught Argentinian Reds out of the freezer and pour some Zataraines into the pot. Maybe make a lettuce salad and cook up some grits. Ummmmm- ummm.
A shrimp boat emerges from the thick fog at sunrise.
LINKS and INFORMATION
Click for Perfect Shrimp Seasoning: Science-Backed Blends & Pro Tips
Click for the Simple Trick That Keeps Shrimp Plump and Snappy
Click to read about the history of Zataraines
Click for the Simple Trick to Buying the Right Size Shrimp Every Time
Naglich, Mandy, How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life, Citadel Press Books, Kensington Publishing Corp., New York, 2023.