Sunday, March 16, 2014

Pickled Gulf Shrimp with Celery Root Sauce

We love our food trailers in Austin, and now it’s easier than ever to try some of their best dishes right at home. Tiffany Harelik has written a series of cookbooks with their recipes. I received a review copy of the latest, Trailer Food Diaries Cookbook: Austin Edition, Vol. 3 , and there are also versions from Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston and a new one on the way from Portland. The Austin Edition, Volume 3 is a fun collection including Drinks, Breakfast, Appetizers and Sides, Sandwiches and Handhelds, Sauces and Jams, Main Courses, and Sweets. Most of the trailers represented are from the city of Austin, but there are a few “Road Trip” locations in Pflugerville, San Marcos, Round Rock, and San Antonio. A few things I can’t wait to try are The Carrot Top from the Blenders and Bowls trailer which is a smoothie with carrot juice and ginger; Dock and Roll Diner’s Tsunami Sauce for sandwiches with jalapenos, lime, garlic, and oils; the Cabbage and Mint Salad with Poached Shrimp and Red Chile-Caramel Fish Sauce and Fried Prawn Chips from Fresh Off the Truck; and the Pineapple Cinnamon MMMpanadas from mmmpanadas. One of our food trailers that does a great job of offering each season’s best is The Seedling Truck. They offer a “revolving menu that is dictated by local farms and purveyors.” I was delighted to find their recipes for Braised Short Ribs with Brown Butter Carrot Puree, Grilled Lamb Chops with Red Peperonata Jam, and Pickled Gulf Shrimp with Celery Root Sauce in the book. I’d made pickled shrimp once before, and I really wanted to try it again. 

The recipe in the book makes a lot of pickled shrimp which is perfect if you’re hosting a few friends. Since I hadn’t planned a party, I cut the quantities in half. I used about a pound of shrimp which I cleaned and deveined leaving the tails intact. The shrimp were poached in boiling water to which had been added a bay leaf, half a lemon, and some black peppercorns. The poached shrimp should be removed from the boiling water and placed directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking. In a separate saucepan, a cup and a half of white vinegar, a cup and a half of water, two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of salt, and a couple of teaspoons of coriander seeds was warmed until the sugar and salt dissolved. The vinegar mixture was then left to cool. Once cool, the vinegar mixture was poured into a bowl with the drained, cooled shrimp, and a big handful of roughly chopped parsley was added. The bowl was refrigerated overnight. Next, the sauce was made by sauteing a peeled and chopped celery root with half a chopped onion and a chopped garlic clove. Once the vegetables became a little tender, after five minutes or so, a cup and a half of water was added with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture was simmered for about 45 minutes until the celery root was completely cooked through. The water should mostly evaporate during the cooking time. After 45 minutes, the vegetables and any remaining liquid were transferred to a blender and pureed with a few tablespoons of cream until smooth. 

This version of pickled shrimp was so much better than my previous attempt. Shocking the shrimp in ice water is a crucial step, I believe. You really want to stop the cooking to keep the texture of the shrimp at its best. Also, a good, sharp, white vinegar is the way to go. It gives the shrimp a zippy, bold flavor which is perfectly balanced by the mild, sweetness of the celery root puree. I was completely delighted by this dish. I look forward to making this for a party since it requires being made in advance, and it’s a little more interesting than shrimp cocktail. And, when celery root isn’t in season, I highly recommend trying the pickled shrimp on top of deviled eggs. 

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20 comments:

  1. Se ve absolutamente delicioso lisa una gran comida las gambas me encantan ,abrazos.

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  2. Beautifully presented! That celery root sauce is wonderful. A refined combo.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. Love the presentation and the root celery puree looks wonderful!

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  4. Looks amazing.. Pickled shrimp sounds very interesting and delicious.

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  5. I have wanted to try making pickled shrimp, and I do like this fresh and zippy version.

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  6. wow, simly delicious and elegant dish!!!

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  7. Such an elegant recipe that just screams spring! The voluptuous celery root puree is downright elegant!

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  8. Ooo, that looks delicious (and I don't even eat shrimp)...so summery, and pretty too.

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  9. I am very curious about the pickled shrimp, as lately I've developed quite a fondness for pickled stuff, but never had shrimp prepared this way

    The celery root puree seems perfect with it, great post!

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  10. These shrimps look so pretty, perfect texture and color...like that you paired with celery sauce, so elegant!
    Have a wonderful week ahead Lisa :D

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  11. A beautiful clean dish. And your presentation is lovely.

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  12. This looks so pretty. I love celeriac - it makes the best mash. It's a very ugly vegetable but perfect once it's been dealt with xx

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  13. Such beautiful flavours and array of vegetables :)

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  14. What a truly lovely dish. I have a pickled shrimp recipe I've been meaning to try and this is a great reminder. I also love celery root.

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  15. Dear Lisa, What a delicious and very healthy dish. Blessings dear. Catherine xo

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  16. What a great looking dish! Pickled shrimp can be delish, and celery root is so ignored, and has wonderful flavor. This looks terrific -- thanks.

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  17. We had such fun trying out the food trucksin Austin! Alas we didn't try The Seedling Truck but thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  18. you continue to dazzle me, lisa. i'm glad i'm beginning to really like shrimp. :)

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  19. You've addressed two things here that I've really been wanting to try, pickled shrimp and cooking with celery root. I'm pinning this one to try soon. I love that last photo. Pinned.

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