Cold-water shrimp (Pandalus borealis) from Greenland's icy seas are a cornerstone of the economy and a local delicacy, sweeter than warm-water shrimp.
Peel a Greenlandic shrimp and pop it whole — it is tiny, snappy, and intensely sweet, far sweeter than any warm-water prawn, tasting of clean cold sea. Bite: a tender snap, a wash of natural sweetness, the butter and lemon a gentle frame. Simple and pure; you eat them by the handful.
Cold-water shrimp grow slowly in frigid seas, concentrating natural sugars (glycine) that make them exceptionally sweet. A very brief boil sets them without toughening; over-boiling ruins the delicate snap. They need almost no adornment.
Variations
Chilled with mayonnaise. On rye bread (smørrebrød). With dill. In a salad. With aquavit. Raw.
On the Palate
Where Greenlandic Shrimp sits in the Greenlandic flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 3How it's made
6 steps · 15 min active + 5 min waiting
- 15 min
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil.
- 21 min
Add 500 g fresh cold-water shrimp.
- 32 min
Boil just 1-2 min until they turn pink and curl.
Watch outPull them the second they turn pink and curl, 1-2 minutes tops — one minute too long and the sweet snap goes rubbery.
- 43 min
Drain immediately and cool slightly.
Watch outDrain and cool them right away — sitting in the hot pot they keep cooking and toughen.
- 53 min
Melt butter with a squeeze of lemon for dipping.
- 62 min
Serve the shrimp warm or chilled, to peel at the table.
