There are few things I look forward to about New England winters, but the arrival of tiny Maine shrimp at our markets is one of them. They start showing up around January, and as they are local(ish), sustainable, inexpensive and downright delicious, I can never seem to resist bringing some home. Their flavor is sweet and delicate, so I don’t like to do too much to them, and they require a minimal amount of cooking since they’re so small (some people actually eat them raw, but I have yet to go there). Peeling these little guys is the hardest part of working with them, but their shells come off fairly easily, and they make a tasty broth for use in a shrimp risotto, or in this light chowder.

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