Under the Sea.

This past Sunday (March 20th) I attended the International Boston Seafood Show, for free thanks to my generous insider-friend. Oysters, crab cakes, seasonings, sauces, lobster claws, fresh water prawns, lobster bisque, clam chowder and so many more scrumptious seafood samples were drawing me from exhibitor to exhibitor. The overall theme I kept hearing about was sustainable fishing and the seafood industry's move toward aquaculture.

Although aquaculture and the dilemmas that the industry will be facing in the future are an important topic, I would rather talk about fresh water prawns. The clean and sweet taste. The firm and mild flesh. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

Free samples are a great way to get potential buyers to take an interest in your product, but the boys at the American Prawn Cooperative booth knew how to draw me in and keep my attention. They talked with sweet southern accents and had a true confidence in their product. Fresh water prawns grown by the American Prawn Cooperative are an "Eco-ok" choice under Environmental Defense Funds seafood selector, in case you were worried I wouldn't follow through with the sustainability theme.

The giant freshwater prawn has a longer, narrower body and legs than its cousin, the saltwater-shrimp. They are similar to crayfish and lobster, but their arms are long with fine claws. Prawns are marketed in many forms: shelled or unshelled, raw or cooked, and fresh or frozen and available in many markets and grocers. Cooked, shelled prawns should be plump and firm.

Prawns, just like shrimp, are high in protein and omega 3's and low in fat. They can be used in any recipe that calls for shrimp. Give them a try, you won't regret it!

Nutritional Information

Serving = 3.5 ounces of raw edible food, wild species. 

	Amount per serving
Calories	106 g
Total Fat	1.73 g
Total Protein	20.3 g
Omega-3	0.49 g
Cholesterol	152 mg
Sodium	148 mg

Source: USDA