Upside-Down Pear

If I ever write a letter to Miss Manners, it will go something like this:

Dear Miss Manners,

What should I do with the tails on shrimp? I can understand it with shrimp cocktail, where the tail provides you with a handle for the shrimp, which is properly conveyed to the mouth with the hand, and the tail neatly pulled off and discarded on a little plate. I am at a loss when it comes to shrimp curries, soups, or other liquidy dishes. Should I reach into my bowl and pull the tails off and leave them in the dish, or place them on my bread plate? Should I reach into my mouth and tug the tails off there, and if so, what do I do with them then? Should I simply eat the tails (ugh!) or not eat the shrimp? Please help!

Distressed

I live inland, so when I buy shrimp at home it is usually in frozen form. When I can, I get pre-cooked fully peeled shrimp or raw, tail-on but otherwise peeled & deveined shrimp. The former are best in tacos and curries; the latter for more flavorful applications.

I take the tails off once I’ve defrosted the shrimp. It’s an extra step, but I’d much rather take it at prep time than have to dig around in my spicy habenero shrimp sauce to extract the tails later. I don’t like it, and I don’t know anyone (who is not a cat or insane or an insane cat) who does.

Do the world a favor, y’all. Take the damn tails off. And then, make this.

Shrimp in Tomato Habenero Sauce

1/2 medium yellow sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 poblano pepper, diced
1 habenero pepper, diced or minced (remember to wear gloves!)
~14 oz. crushed canned tomatoes (I used half of a 28 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes)
salt
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
~1 tsp roasted pounded cumin
1 lb. peeled deveined tail-off raw shrimp

Toast whole cumin seed briefly in a small skillet. Remove and crush (or whir in a spice grinder).

Sweat onion & garlic in olive oil over low heat with a little salt and black pepper. Add bell and poblano peppers; stir. Add habenero. After a few minutes, add crushed tomatoes, a drizzle more olive oil, and the cumin.

When it bubbles, add a little water to thin it out, and let it simmer for a little bit.

About 5 minutes before you want to eat, add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque. If you only have precooked shrimp, cut this time down to about 2 minutes.

If you value your tongue, do not add any other spices to this dish. It is fiery and fruity and the shrimp are tender and juicy. The cumin and garlic keep it from being too sweet and bright-tasting, without killing the essential light freshness of its flavor.

Excellent with steamed green beans in lemon butter.