24 hr Pickled Shrimp

After reading my friend Carol Egbert's article on squash pickles, it occurred to me what I wanted this post today to say. - Be sure to read Carol’s muse and recipe - Pickling a Pot of Patty Pan.

Carol has such a way with words and as I read of her childhood memory entailing pickling, I could not help but feel like I was there too. Maybe I was in sorts. Many of my summer days were spent helping out in grandmother's kitchen with her cook, Annie Bell and between the three of us (mostly the two), we canned and preserved our way through many summers.

Now, this recipe is by no means one that you will preserve as in pickling pickles, still it conjures memories of summer days spent at the beach with good eats, like shrimp. During my youth and a few days after the school year ended, we would pack up and head to the beach. Laguna Beach in the panhandle of Florida is where we spent many summers days, sometimes 2 or 3 weeks at a time and sometimes for just a week. The rest of the time we were back in Greenville, in the kitchen, canning and pickling.

This is as tasty to eat as it is easy to make . All it takes is a little patience - you’ll have to wait a day before enjoying this one.

Shrimp of the Week

24 hr Pickled Shrimp

1/2 cup celery tops
5 teaspoons salt -divided
1/4 cup crab boil
2 1/2 pounds medium to small shrimp
2 large onions -sliced thin
8 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups Wesson oil
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons capers with juice
2 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Place first 3 ingredients in boiling water, return to boil and add the shrimp. When this comes back to a boil, turn off heat and let set for 10 minutes. Drain, peel & devein shrimp. Alternate shrimp, onions and bay leaves in a shallow bowl. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over shrimp to coat. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Toss and enjoy!

See also my recipe for canning Pickled Shrimp