Author Notes: One of my favorite appetizers to make is pickled shrimp. I typically serve them from a shallow glass jar with toothpicks but decided to turn them into a one-bite canapé by serving them atop toast rounds with mashed avocado. They’re a great combination of flavors and textures, with the creamy avocado providing the perfect base for the citrusy-pickled shrimp. My pickled shrimp recipe is a mish-mash of favorite elements from Robert Stehling of the fabulous Hominy Grill in Charleston, SC and The Lee Brothers, plus my own additions. I’ve tinkered a lot with it over time, finding a base of equal parts lemon, orange and grapefruit juice to be my favorite. I prefer to omit vinegar and sugar from the mix to let the bright citrus flavors shine.
—EmilyC
Serves: 8
Ingredients
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2 T Old Bay or other shrimp boil seasoning
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1 pound medium shrimp (about 32 to 36 count), shelled and deveined
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¼ cup fresh orange juice + finely minced zest (from 1 orange)
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¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice (from 1 grapefruit)
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¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons) + additional for mashed avocado
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1 shallot, thinly sliced
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1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
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1 large bay leaf, torn into several pieces
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2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed
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2 tablespoons olive oil + additional for toast rounds
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sea salt
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cayenne pepper
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2 ripe Haas avocados, peeled
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8 slices thin white sandwich bread
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¼ cup finely chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
Directions
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To make pickled shrimp:
To a large pot of water, add Old Bay seasoning. (I find a ratio of 2 T Old Bay to 1/2 gallon of water works well.) Cover and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute. The shrimp will be pinkish-orange and will start to curl. Drain shrimp and lay in a single layer on a sheet pan or plate until they cool to room temperature. The shrimp won’t be fully cooked at this point, which is fine, because they’ll continue to cook in the marinade.In a bowl or sealable plastic bag, combine citrus juices and orange zest, shallot, garlic, bay leaf, fennel seed, olive oil, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne (or more to taste). Add the shrimp and seal; refrigerate six hours or overnight. (The pickled shrimp should be consumed within about 24 hours from the time they’re refrigerated or otherwise they’ll turn mushy.)
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To make toast rounds:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Using a 1.5″ or 2” biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out four rounds from each slice of bread. Alternatively, you can cut bite-sized squares or triangles from each slice. Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet and lightly brush each one with olive oil. Toast for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until they’re slightly crisp and golden. -
To assemble canapés:
Remove the shrimp from its marinade. In a small bowl, mash the avocados with a pinch of sea salt and cayenne pepper, and a splash of lemon juice. Spread the mashed avocado on the toast rounds, top each with one pickled shrimp, garnish with chopped chives (if using) and serve immediately.