Lemon Shrimp

There are several species of crustaceans available in the Pyrenean
region, fished from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The largest are
called langostinos or langoustines, which are actually slim-bodied
members of the lobster family. Red in color, their wide, heavier tails
distinguish them from shrimp and prawns. The next in size is the red
shrimp (crevette rose), which can be up to four inches in length. Red
shrimp are difficult to transport alive, and are usually available
boiled or frozen. Finally, North Sea prawns (crevette gris) are only
about two inches in length and have an excellent, distinctive taste.
The frozen shrimp and prawns that are sold in North American markets
rarely provide the precise species or provenance of the product, which
can come from any ocean.

In northern Spain it is most common to find the simple and classic
preparation of shrimp or prawns quickly sauteed in a bit of garlic and
olive oil. For a change, I created this shrimp marinade composed of
common Mediterranean ingredients. This recipe is based on a technique
to marinate shrimp with lemons, learned from Barry Morgenstern, a
friend who trained at the famous Cordon Bleu in Paris. The marinade
quickly infuses deeply into the hot shrimp, imparting bright flavors
deep into each morsel. Once all the ingredients are assembled this is
an extremely easy recipe, in which all the work can be done in advance.


Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup lemon juice, from approximately 2 large lemons
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon wine or sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 black olives, kalamata or oil-cured, pitted, and halved
6 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
Pinch of piment d'Espelette or cayenne powder
1 to 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced (optional)

Prepare marinade in a large bowl by combining lemon zest, lemon juice,
garlic, vinegar, oil, olives, anchovies, red onion, bay leaf, and
piment d'Espelette.
Peel and clean shrimp, leaving tails on. Partially fill a pot with
water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and boil for 1 1/2 to
2 minutes, or until shrimp pinks and the flesh looks opaque. Remove
immediately. Drain and place hot shrimp into marinade. If additional
liquid is needed to cover most of the shrimp, add a few tablespoons of
the shrimp poaching water to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at
least 2 to 3 hours, turning the shrimp once.

Serve with avocado slices (if desired), on a salad, or by themselves as
a shrimp cocktail.


Extra! Tip from Epicurious:
.. Piment d'Espelette is a small, pleasantly spicy red pepper that is
usually used dried and ground in French Basque cooking. It is available
from spanishtable.com.

Makes 4 servings.


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