Growing Chefs! Ontario Shrimp, Potato & Corn Boils

Shrimp, Potato & Corn Boils

Rooted in Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole cultures, seafood boils have long brought people together for lively, communal feasts centered around bold flavors and shared experience. Perfect for feeding a crowd and meant to be enjoyed with your hands, straight from the table!”
Difficulty
Intermediate
Yield
Serves 10-12

Base:

Ingredients
4 litres water1/2 cup old bay seasoning2 yellow onions, peeled and halved3 celery ribs, cut into large chunks2 lemons, quartered2 heads garlic, cloves separated but not peeled Salt to taste

Boil:

Ingredients
6 ears of corn, husked and cut in half2 pounds small red potatoes, halved2 andouille sausages, cut into 2cm pieces3 pounds shell-on shrimp
Equipment
Large stockpotLarge colanderCutting boardsChef's knife or safe chopperMeasuring cupsMeasuring spoonsWooden spoonDish towelTasting spoons

Directions

Get Organized!

Gather your mis en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Get Prepped!

Peel and halve onions.

Cut celery into large pieces.

Quarter lemons and remove any seeds.

Separate garlic cloves (no need to peel).

Peel and cut corn in half.

Wash and halve or quarter potatoes if they’re larger than bite-size.

Slice sausage into 2 centimetre pieces.

Get Cooking!

Fill a large stockpot with 4 litres of water. Add old bay seasoning, salt, onions, celery, lemon wedges (squeezing as you go), and garlic. Cover and bring to a rolling boil.

Once boiling, carefully taste a spoonful of the broth. It should be a little spicy, salty, and flavorful

Add the potatoes and sausage to the pot. Bring back to a boil, then simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Add the corn, and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Finally, add the shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes until they turn pink and curl.

Carefully drain the contents using a colander, or scoop out servings with a large slotted spoon. Serve hot! For a fun and traditional experience, pour the boil out onto a newspaper-lined table.