Shrimp has to be shelled and cleaned before use in any recipe. This involves removal of the head, shell, tail, and 'sand vein' (digestive tract). The shell can be removed by holding the tail and gently prying off the shell from around the body. Depending on the preparation, the tail is removed completely or left attached for presentation purposes. There are two ways to remove the 'vein'. If the size of the shrimp is medium to large, one can make a shallow cut lengthwise down the outer curve of the shrimp's body, and take out the vein using a pointed utensil. If the shrimp is small, once the tail has been removed, the dark ribbon-like digestive tract can be pinched between two fingers and gently pulled out. The following are some shrimp caper recipes: Shrimp and Capers Topped Toast Ingredients

• 2 lb large shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
• 3 tbsp. capers
• 1 loaf semolina or chewy bread
• 1 cup seafood stock, clam juice, or chicken stock
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 2 tsp. anchovy paste
• A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp. cold butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
• ½ cup dry white wine

Directions Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Bake the slices of bread in the oven till lightly toasted and golden brown. In a large skillet, heat about ¼ cup of the olive oil over medium heat. First sauté the onion for a minute, and then add the anchovy paste to the skillet, and stir for another minute. Then, add in the shrimp, and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the capers, garlic, salt and pepper to the pan and let the mixture cook for another 3-4 minutes. Pour in the wine, and continue to stir on a low heat. Next, add the stock and let the mixture cook over high heat. Lastly, add in the butter, parsley, and lemon juice, and stir for another minute. Place the slices of bread in a serving dish, and drizzle them with the remaining olive oil. Top the slices with the shrimp mixture, and serve. Shrimp, Capers, and Tomatoes with Capellini Ingredients

• Reserved sautéed garlic shrimp
• 1½ tbsp. capers (drained)
• 2 small tomatoes (roughly chopped)
• ¾ lb capellini
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation Heat water in a large pot, and add the capellini and salt according to your taste. Cook until al dente. Remove the capellini from the pot and save about 1 cup of the water. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the capellini and stir. Next, add the sautéed garlic shrimp with their juices along with the tomatoes, capers, and the saved cooking water. Continue to stir so that all the ingredients get well-combined. Season with salt and pepper, and serve. Cold Shrimp Salad with Capers Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. capers (drained)
• ½ medium-sized red onion (very thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 40 large shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
• 2 tbsp. fresh dill (minced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• ⅔ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions Take a large, heavy skillet, and heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shrimp to it, and sauté until fully cooked. Put in the garlic, stir, and let it cook for under a minute for the flavor to set in. Transfer the contents to a dish, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Mix the onion with the salt, and place it in a colander. Leave it for about 15 minutes or until it has wilted. Rinse the onion, and dry it with paper towels. Mix the remaining ingredients―lemon juice, dill, parsley, jalapeno pepper, and mayonnaise―in a large bowl together. Add the shrimp and onion to the bowl, and toss till the shrimp get completely coated with dressing. The salad is ready to be served. While capers are known for being rich in antioxidants, shrimp is high in calcium, iodine, and protein. Though a source of cholesterol, many consider shrimp to be healthy for the circulatory system because it lacks significant levels of saturated fat, thus improving the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol and lowering triglycerides.