General information

• Order: Decapods
• Family: Pandalidae

Characteristics

• supple shell;
• the rostrum is as long as the shell, laterally compressed and having spines and bristles on the back; 
• Pandalus borealis - the dorsal edge of the rostrum is totally covered in spines; bright even red color or finely speckled; 
• Pandalus montagui - anterior half of the rostrum has no spines on the top; red diagonal bands on the shell and abdomen. It's a small crustacean that lives in the deep cold waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, measuring between 5-13 cm when caught, and weighing 3-15 g. Depending on their size, there can be between 90 and 400 shelled shrimp per pound. They are pink on the surface and white inside and their meat represents on average 26% of the total weight.

Fishing season: April to November   

Properties: Pink on the surface and white inside, the shrimp's meat is firm-textured with a delicate taste and aroma. 

Nutrtional values per 100 g

• Omega-3 fatty acids: 0.5 g
• Calcium: 60 mg
• Calories: 90
• Cholesterol: 150 mg
• Carbohydrates: 2.0 g
• Fat: 1.0 g
• Protein: 20.0 g
• Rich in minerals, particularly potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine
• Sodium: 140 mg

 Cooking

• Northern shrimp is low in fat and rich in vitamins and minerals. Its content in saturated fatty acids is lower than that of meats;
• northern shrimp are economical; their weight determines the market price and you can use them to create many delicious dishes; 
• because they are small and usually already cooked, they should not be cooked again (they will toughen) but simply reheated at the last minute in a sauce, off the heat;
• they are tasty and can be combined with just about anything; 
• because of their size, they're perfect for stuffing cold hors d'oeuvre like avocados, tomatoes, etc. 
• hot, they can be used as a filling for egg rolls, omelets, etc. 
• with mushrooms in a white sauce flavored with white wine, they make an excellent sauce for grilled or poached fish.