Poaching means to gently simmer food in liquid—water, stock, court-bouillon, or even oil. Here, it’s court-bouillon, an aromatic stock that transfers its flavors to the food cooked in it, traditionally fish and shellfish. Use the best possible extra-virgin olive oil to make this dish really shine.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　12 cups water

　　1 carrot, coarsely chopped

　　1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

　　1 lemon, halved

　　1/2 onion, preferably Vidalia, peeled

　　2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

　　1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

　　1 1/2 pounds unshelled large shrimp (21/25 count)

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　Juice of 2 lemons

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1 baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick, for accompaniment

　　

Step 1

To poach the shrimp, in a large pot, combine the water, carrot, celery, lemon, onion, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to low. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to make a flavorful court-bouillon. Return the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Add the shrimp and boil until the shells are pink and the meat is white, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overcook.

　　

Step 2

Drain the shrimp in a colander. As soon as the shrimp are just cool enough to touch, peel and devein them.

　　

Step 3

To dress the shrimp, while they are still warm, place them in a large bowl with the olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to coat, then season with salt and pepper. Marinate the shrimp at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving. Add the chopped parsley and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 4

Serve the shrimp on baguette slices, drizzled with some of the juices.

　　

making ahead

Step 5

The shrimp can be prepared completely ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. (The most important part is bathing them in the lemon mixture while they are still warm.) Bring to room temperature before serving.

　　

shrimp

Step 6

Jumbo, large, and medium are all arbitrary designations for shrimp. Chefs buy shrimp according to an industry designation— the count per pound. For example, a count of 41/50 means that there are between 41 and 50 shrimp per pound, while U12 indicates that there are “under 12” shrimp per pound. In general, large shrimp are 21/25 count, extra-large are 16/20 count, and jumbo shrimp are 11/15 count.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.