Pickled Shrimp And Celery

Name: Pickled Shrimp And Celery
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

Canal House|Nov. 14, 2012 10:01 am EST

3.1 (29 ratings)

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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

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

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.
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.
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.
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.