SpiceLines

During my San Antonio childhood, sweltering summers were the norm. So was a glass container of shrimp pickling away on the top shelf of the refrigerator. My mother would get fresh Gulf shrimp from Polunsky’s Seafood, steam and then marinate them overnight, mostly with vinegar, a little vegetable oil, garlic, and black pepper. The next day we’d eat them as an appetizer before supper. Cold, tart and spicy, the crustaceans delivered an electric jolt to our sleepy taste buds.

A few weeks ago I got a yen for pickled shrimp, so my mother and I made them our way. Basically it’s a stripped down version of the circa 1950 Spicy Pickled Shrimp in Charleston Receipts—which by the way has 27 recipes for shrimp cooked in various delectable ways. We had to mix red wine and rice vinegars, and left out the bay leaves, dry mustard, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and “handful of pickling spices,” but the proof was on the plate: The shrimp were utterly delicious.

Well, this is a spiffed up version of the same dish. I used white wine vinegar and added thinly sliced red onion, crushed dried chiles pequins, and parsley. But the coriander seeds lurking in the back of my mother’s pantry worked the real magic.

Coriander is often found in pickling spice mixtures, of course, but using the seeds on their own was a revelation. The spice softened the sharpness of the vinegary brine and heightened the natural sweetness of the shrimp. When I bit into a seed, there was an alluring explosion of bright citrusy flavor.

If you’re a cilantro lover like me, you can chop up a few coriander leaves to go with the parsley. For me, the herb has a fresh green flavor that adds another dimension to the pickled shrimp. But if you’re one of the many for whom the leaves taste “soapy” or "insect-like," by all means leave them out.

There, now. Don’t you feel the cool breeze coming off the water? No? Well, nibble a few of these tangy shrimp. You’ll feel better soon.

Cold Pickled Shrimp with Coriander Seed, Red Onion and Parsley

Serves 4 for dinner, or 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

2 pounds large fresh shrimp in the shell (about 44)
Sea salt
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons whole coriander seed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or crushed dried chile pequin
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 or 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Method:

1. Set a large pot of water over medium high heat and bring it to a boil.
2. In the meantime, clean the shrimp: Cut down the back of the shell with a sharp paring knife and rinse away the dark vein. Leave the shell intact.
3. When the water boils, add a generous spoonful of sea salt. When it returns to the boil, add the shrimp. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp look pink and are opaque all the way through. (It is not necessary for the water to come back to a second boil.)
4. Drain the shrimp in a colander and let them cool. Peel and place them in a large glass bowl. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, combine the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Let the ingredients sit for a few minutes, then add the coriander seed and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the canola oil.
6. Pour the vinaigrette over the shrimp and toss well to coat. Add the red onion and garlic and toss again to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the shrimp occasionally in the marinade.
7. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and cilantro and toss again.