The shrimp look so amazing packed into a jar. You can see the pink curls against the glass, with spices and herbs swirling around them. Pickled shrimp is an easy, make-ahead appetizer that never fails to impress. All you do to make it is to poach some shrimp and then pack them into a big crock or canning jar with simple pickling spices, vinegar, and olive oil. Let this sit in the fridge for a day or two, and pull out the jar just before the party starts. It’s all very colorful, especially if you use a clear glass jar: pink shrimp, bright yellow slices of lemon, mustard seeds, thyme leaves, red onion, and fronds from a bulb of fresh fennel. (The fennel gives the mix some crunch in addition to being pretty!)
Make-Ahead Pickled Shrimp
The pickling liquid is a combination of cider vinegar and olive oil. As long as the shrimp are submerged in liquid, they’ll keep well for a few days in the refrigerator. When it’s party time, tip the contents into a bowl—spices and all—and hand out toothpicks. Part of the fun is letting guests go fishing. The way the shrimp are pickled in vinegar with lemon and spices echoes the way escovitch is made. Originally from Spanish cuisine, escovitch is a dish made by cooking a variety of small fish or sliced fish, and then pickling them in a vinegar with thinly sliced vegetables, onions, lemon, and spices. Popular throughout the Caribbean, this way of pickling seafood most likely made its way to the American South by way of Jamaica and the slave trade. Some say American Gulf or Georgia white shrimp are the best for this recipe, but any shrimp will do.
What to Serve With Pickled Shrimp
Your favorite crackersCocktail rye crackersSet out some Boursin or good salted butter for spreading on the bread, if you likeServe on a saladSet out with a flavorful aioli for dippingServe on the side with some spreads and baguette slicesSpread some tapenade on a baguette slice and top it with a pickled shrimpChop some fresh herbs and toss on top just before serving
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Add the shrimp, and immediately remove the pan from the heat and cover again. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink. Carefully spoon the mixture into a big bowl. Serve with toothpicks on the side or in individual stemmed glasses as an appetizer or first course. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!
