Pickled Shrimp And Celery

Pickled Shrimp And Celery
3.1 from 29 ratings
We prefer first to poach the shrimp, then to peel and devein them. That way they maintain their shape rather than curling and flaring into a "butterfly."
Servings
4
servings
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup mirin
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 thick slices fresh ginger
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 5 juniper berries
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole celery hearts, some leaves reserved for garnish
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt
  • 24-32 medium unpeeled shrimp
  • really good extra-virgin olive oil
  • pepper
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Directions
  1. Put the rice wine vinegar, mirin, ginger, perppercorns, juniper berries, and cinnamon stick, along with 1 cup of water, in a pot and cook over medium heat, sitrring from time to time, until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the brine into a wide, shallow dish. This brine can be made up to 1 week in advance. Keep refrigerated.
  2. Remove any large ribs of celery from the hearts. Keep the hearts whole and put them into a large pot with the wine, peppercorns, bay leaves, and a generous pinch of salt. Add just enough water to cover the celery. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the celery is crisp-tender when pierced with a paring knife, 25-30 minutes. Transfer the celery to a cutting board. Cut the hearts lengthwise into ½-inch pieces and add them to the pickling brine.
  3. Using the same pot and liquid in which you cooked the celery, poach the shrimp until just cooked, about 3 minutes. Drain the shrimp in a colander. Peel and devein the shrimp and put in a bowl. Pour the celery and pickling brine over the shrimp. Make sure everything is submerged. If there isn't enough brine to cover everything completely, just give the celery and shrimp a turn every now and then. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and allow the shrimp and celery to "pickle" for about an hour.
  4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp and celery to plates. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with celery leaves and chopped chives. Serve cold.