POACHED SHRIMP

Poached Shrimp image

Provided by Tyler Florence

Time 50m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 teaspoons sea salt
2 lemons, halved, plus more for serving
3 bay leaves
1 handful fresh thyme leaves
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay or Zatarains shrimp boil)
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, with shells, heads, and tails on
Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce, recipe follows
4 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons grated fresh or prepared horseradish
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 shot pepper vodka
1 teaspoon celery seed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Fill a large pot with about a 1/2 gallon of water, add the salt and squeeze in the lemon juice; toss the halves in there too for extra flavor. Add the herbs and seafood seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the water with the aromatics.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the shrimp are bright pink and the tails curl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the poaching liquid and chill thoroughly before peeling. Serve with lemon wedges and Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce as part of a raw shellfish bar.
Combine the tomatoes, celery, and onion in a blender and puree to break the vegetables down. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Chill before serving with a raw bar.