Happy Shrimp

It's nearly impossible to find US or Canadian cultivated shrimp here in Calgary.  That's not entirely true, I've spotted live BC shrimp at a couple of Asian markets, but the look of those wiggly spider-like legs freak me out.  In most cases the shrimp you find here are farmed in Thailand or Vietnam, that is until I discovered Gulf shrimp from North Sea Fish Market at the Calgary Farmers' Market.

Originally my interest in seeking out these relatively local shrimp was to support more sustainable fishing methods, but that was before I tasted them.  They have a more prominent taste that's subtlety sweet and reminiscent of lobster.  I can't believe the difference having happy shrimp makes.  :)

In the picture above I used sole and Gulf shrimp from the North Sea Fish Market, to create a rich dish that I adapted from this one posted on epicurious.  The secret ingredient in the sauce is shrimp butter and it's worth every bit of the effort it takes to make.  For a simpler dish the sauce would be perfect served over pasta with wilted spinach.