Pickled Shrimp

From: Episode 7 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Gabrielle Hamilton

Makes: 6 servings
Time: 30 minutes plus marinating time

Despite the diminutive size of the bar at Prune, in New York-there are only four seats-it has its own menu, including a great collection of cocktail food like deviled eggs, sardines with Triscuits, and fried burrata (a super-creamy fresh cow or buffalo milk cheese) masquerading as mozzarella sticks. These classic shrimp, made with Gabrielle's own spice mix, may be cooked the day before serving, so they're perfect for entertaining. Just make sure to let the dish come to room temperature first, otherwise the oil may be cloudy and the flavor muted. Gabrielle puts the pickled shrimp on her menu only when Ruby Red shrimp from Maine are around-usually in summer. Unlike most shrimp, these come to New York unfrozen, so they are quite special. (They're good because they're fresh, tender, and very tasty-mostly that's the freshness. But also because they're from cold water.) But the technique and the Ruby Boil Spice Mix can be used with any shrimp.

Salt
1 recipe Ruby Boil Spice Mix (recipe follows) or 1/4 cup Old Bay
1 1/2 pounds large (21/30) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, washed and sliced paper thin
1 red onion, sliced paper thin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
6 crushed cloves garlic
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seed

1. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil (use about 2 cups salt for 8 quarts water) with the Ruby Boil Spice Mix or Old Bay. Have a large bowl of ice near the stove. When the water reaches a rolling boil, drop in the shrimp and poach them just until they are firm, not more than 45 seconds (the water probably won't even return to a boil). Using a finemeshed strainer, transfer the shrimp (and whatever of the Ruby Boil Spice Mix comes with them) into the bowl of ice. Toss them with the ice to stop them from cooking further.

2. Combine the oil, lemon slices, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, coriander, and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. When the shrimp have cooled, remove them from the (now) ice water, shaking or brushing off any of the spices clinging to them from the boil, and transfer them to the bowl. Toss and taste, adding more salt or vinegar as necessary. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or preferably overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Ruby Boil Spice Mix

Makes: enough for a 6- to 10-quart boil
Time: 5 minutes

The quintessential spice mix for a seafood boil. Feel free to double or triple the recipe and use in place of Old Bay or the like whenever you're boiling seafood.

1 large bunch fresh thyme
15 to 20 bay leaves
1/4 cup paprika
1 head garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon allspice berries
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 cinnamon stick

Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl, then transfer the mixture to a sealable container. This keeps, sealed, more or less indefinitely.