Not much of the catch of tiny, wild Maine shrimp gets shipped out of state, so these little beauties are still, in many ways, a local delicacy for Mainers – and now is the season.

Shrimp in the shell, with heads on, sell for only about $1.50 per pound, while the picked-out raw shrimp are $5 to $6 per pound. Shrimp in the shell yield about 50 percent meat – so in other words, if you want a pound of meat (and want to save some money), buy two pounds of unshelled shrimp.

The shrimp cook very fast, so be sure to pull them out of the pot before they turn into something with the texture of pencil erasers.

GARLICKY MAINE SHRIMP OVER BUCATINI

Bucatini looks like thick spaghetti but is hollow in the center, allowing for extra sauce absorption. I love it because it tends to have a nice firm chewiness. This simple Maine shrimp sauce is garlicky and lemony – perfect for weekdays as well as for entertaining. The mashed anchovy fillets add depth of flavor without being at all fishy-tasting. Serve with a basket of seeded semolina or other Italian bread and an arugula and grape tomato salad.

Servings: 4

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 pound bucatini or other strand pasta

1 1/2 pounds shelled Maine shrimp

2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil. Add anchovies and cook over medium heat, mashing with the back of a spoon, until dissolved. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, raise heat to high, and boil briskly until reduced by about one third, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and lemon zest. (Can be made ahead and held at cool room temperature for an hour or two.)

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, reheat sauce. Add shrimp and cook over medium heat, stirring often, just until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Salt sparingly, because the anchovies add saltiness.)

Drain pasta, spoon the shrimp and sauce over, and serve. Pass the optional Parmesan at the table.

MAINE SHRIMP SEVICHE

Tiny Maine shrimp respond beautifully to the seviche treatment, which involves marinating raw fish in lime or lemon juice. The citric acid breaks down the proteins in the flesh, having the same effect as applying heat. You can serve the seviche in a butter lettuce cup or on romaine leaves and invite guests to roll up the filling and eat it out of hand.

Servings: 4 as an appetizer

1/2 pound shelled Maine shrimp

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 large plum tomato, seeded and diced

Half an avocado, diced

Half a small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Butter lettuce cups or romaine lettuce leaves

In a shallow dish, toss the shrimp with the lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and “cooked” by the acid.

Toss with the oil, scallions, diced tomato, avocado, jalapeno and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon onto lettuce leaves and serve.

 

Brooke Dojny is author or co-author of more than a dozen cookbooks, most recently “Dishing Up Maine” (Storey Publishing 2006) and “The New England Clam Shack Cookbook” (Storey 2008). She lives on the Blue Hill peninsula.