FLORIDA COAST PICKLED SHRIMP

Florida Coast Pickled Shrimp image

Yield serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 16

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One 3 ounce bag crab boil spices (such as Zatarain's)
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 lemons, quartered
2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined if you wish
2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Creole mustard (see page 93)
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 bay leaves
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 lemons, thinly sliced

Steps:

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.
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).