RV Cooking: One-skillet shrimp boil is perfect for summer picnics

The sublime shrimp from the Gulf Coast was a real revelation while we were traveling through the South. We’d eaten shrimp before, but never had it tasted for fresh, so sweet and succulent. And cheap! We ate it often and in all sorts of ways during our time in that food-centric part of the country.

One of the absolute faves was a shrimp boil I made while we were camped on the beautiful Ocracoke Island on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Like so many classic dishes, this preparation was simple, requiring just one pan and a handful of ingredients: potatoes, corn, Andouille sausage, and, of course, shrimp.

Fortunately, these days, it’s possible to find some pretty tasty wild shrimp no matter where you live. I’ve used the wild shrimp product from Argentina that Fred Meyer carries, to recreate this dish, and it’s turned out well.

Ideally, you’d serve this right out of the skillet it was cooked in, setting it smack in the middle of a sunny picnic table by the beach. If you’re dining with friends and family, invite everyone to use their fingers to peel and eat the shrimp, and the other savory goodies. Here’s how I put it all together:

One-skillet Shrimp Boil

2 pounds wild shrimp, frozen is fine

1 pound red potatoes

2 ears of corn, shucked and broken in half

2 links andouille sausage, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning salt, such as Tony Chachere’s

Cut the potatoes in half, place in skillet with enough water to come halfway up the potato. Boil and cook on medium high for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and boil for an additional 5-7 minutes. Drain the cooking water, sprinkle with additional seasoning salt, and serve with a remoulade sauce, hot pepper sauce, lemon wedges and ketchup.