Tom Saaristo Pickled Shrimp

http://tomsaaristo.com

Pickled Shrimp

Sizing of shrimp is actually very simple. All those confusing numbers you see in stores mean only one thing: how many shrimp make 1 pound.

110-125 to the pound [baby], 50-60 to the pound [small ], 35-40 to the pound [medium ], 21-25 to the pound [teenager ], 15-20 to the pound [young adult ], 12-15 to the pound [large ], U-15 15 or under to the pound [x large ], U-12 12 or under to the pound [xx large ], U-10 10 or under to the pound [colossal ], U-8 8 or under to the pound [lived next to nuclear power plant ], U-5 5 or under to the pound [related to Godzilla ]

Pickled Shrimp

Ingredients

For the shrimp:
4 lbs. 35-40 shrimp, boiled until just pink, drained and shocked in ice water
4 Vidalia or other sweet white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

For the spices:
2 beautiful chilis
2 whole star anise
3 whole cloves
mustard seed
whole rainbow peppercorns
4 bay leaves, dried or fresh

For the pickling juice:
1 quart rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup simple syrup
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon

Method
Drop a chili into the bottom of a 3 quart jar with a locking wire or tight–fitting lid. Layer the onion, shrimp and garlic in and include in each layer any combination of the star anise, cloves, mustard seed, rainbow peppercorns [crushed and whole] and bay leaves.

Mix together the rice wine vinegar, simple syrup, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour the cider mixture into the jar. Drop the second chili on top. Lock the jar or screw on the lid and refrigerate for 1 week.

When you’re ready to serve the shrimp, drain through colander but do not rinse. Remove the bay leaves.

Arrange the pickled shrimp, onions and garlic on a platter and serve with toothpicks and Million Dollar Crackers