(Photo: Hannah Whitaker. Illustrations: John Burgoyne)

The antithesis of the big bland jumbo variety, tiny sweet shrimp from Maine are currently in plentiful supply. These aristocrats of the shrimp world are so fine and fresh you can gobble them down raw with just a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a dash of sea salt. They’re even better wedged into a butter-toasted hot-dog bun the way they do at Luke’s Lobster in the East Village. Their recipe—adapted to New York’s unfathomable preference for side-split as opposed to top-split wiener buns—follows.

Luke’s Shrimp Roll

3 lbs. fresh Maine shrimp (available at Wild Edibles and Lobster Place)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 lb. unsalted butter
4 hot-dog buns
Juice of 1/4 lemon
4 tsp. mayonnaise

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts or so of salted water to a boil. (1) Add shrimp in batches and cook for 30 seconds. (2) Twist off heads and peel. Reserve peeled shrimp in refrigerator or over ice. (You can save the heads and shells to make a broth.) Mix spices in small bowl and reserve. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Brush the insides of the buns with the melted butter, and toast over medium heat on grill pan or griddle until golden brown. Stir lemon juice into the remaining melted butter and reserve. Spread the insides of each toasted bun with 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise. (3) Arrange equal amounts of shrimp in each bun. Drizzle the melted-butter-lemon mixture over the shrimp. Sprinkle with seasoning mixture to taste. Serves 4. Adapted from Luke’s Lobster.

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• Archive: “In Season”
• Articles by Robin Raisfeld | Rob Patronite
• Table of Contents: Feb 1, 2010 issue of New York | Subscribe!