Florida Coast Pickled Shrimp
Gina: We’ve taken a few memorable family vacations to the Gulf Coast of Florida, which is a great place to indulge our passion for the beach and fresh shrimp. These pickled shrimp are perfect for entertaining, because they are actually best made a day in advance. They’re delicious on their own, or eaten with buttered slices of French bread.
We call for the shrimp to be shelled and deveined in this recipe, because it allows the shrimp to really soak up the marinade. But if you are pressed for time, and your friends don’t mind getting their nails dirty, leave the shells on. The shrimp are just as good, and the extra effort your friends have to exert to extract the shrimp from their shells may produce an unexpected benefit: leftovers!
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a large pot, combine the crab boil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, the lemon quarters, and 8 cups water. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, and cook until they are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain the shrimp in a colander, and discard the crab boil and lemon.
Step 2
In a small saucepan, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lime juice, Creole mustard, peppercorns, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes, garlic, bay leaves, and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the onions and carrots, and cool completely. Place the shrimp in a large nonreactive mixing bowl or container (sealable plastic storage containers work great), and cover with the marinade. Toss with the lemon slices, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or for up to 2 days), tossing every 4 or so hours, before serving. To serve the pickled shrimp, use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp and goodies (pickled veggies, spices) to a serving bowl, then add just enough liquid to keep everything moist (using the entire bowl of pickling liquid would be too messy).
