‘Jubilee’ Pickled Shrimp

This version of pickled shrimp is adapted from Toni Tipton-Martin’s 2019 cookbook Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking, which we reviewed in June 2020. Without a doubt, it’s the best version of pickled shrimp, a popular Southern dish, we’ve ever come across. Tipton-Martin writes that it’s of Spanish origin by way of Jamaica, where escovitch (or caveach) fish is popular. Clearly it’s related to escabeche, which is cold seafood that’s been pickled in vinegar.

Tipton-Martin’s version is her own, inspired by several from Savannah, Georgia. It’s wonderful as an appetizer or snack with cocktails or a glass of wine. It makes a lot of shrimp — two pound’s worth — but it keeps well in its brine in the fridge for at least a few days.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for cooking shrimp

3 celery stalks, diced

1 cup sliced yellow or white onion

2 bay leaves

1 large lemon, sliced

2 pounds shell-on large or jumbo shrimp (or use peeled deveined large or jumbo shrimp)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon pickling spice, or toasted in a dry pan until fragrant

1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 Scotch bonnet pepper, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

3 sprigs fresh tarragon

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup sliced red onion

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine 2 quarts well-salted water, the celery, onion, bay leaves and lemon slices and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the shrimp in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking.

2. When cool enough to handle, peel the shrimp and devein (if necessary), and set aside to cool completely.

3. In a large glass bowl or a very large wide-mouth jar with a tight-fitting lid, whisk or shake together the lemon juice, vinegar, pickling spice, dill, 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste), chile pepper, garlic, tarragon and oil until well blended. Add the red onion and shrimp, and toss in the bowl or shake in the jar to make sure all the ingredients are well distributed. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Use a slotted spoon or fork to serve.