Marinated Prawns

This is shrimp escabeche, the Caribbean and Spanish-style cold appetizer where cooked shrimp sit in a vinegar marinade until they pick up sharp, herby, spicy flavor. The two-day soak is what defines this dish. Anything less and you have plain seafood in vinegar. Two full days and the flavors deeply permeate.

Sauteing then discarding the first round of onion and garlic builds the flavor base of the oil. Those aromatics flavor the oil that then forms the marinade, but the burned bits of vegetable would turn bitter and ruin the appearance over 48 hours. Discarding them is the chef’s move.

Use pre-cooked shrimp. The recipe says to add raw shrimp and boil, but you can also start with already-cooked shrimp and skip that step. The hot marinade poured over cooked shrimp gives a more controlled texture, avoiding the rubbery overcooked snap that plagues raw-shrimp-in-vinegar recipes.

Whole hot chilies, not chopped. Leave them whole in the marinade and they slowly release heat without overpowering. Sliced chilies dump capsaicin too fast, producing a marinade that bites instead of warms.

The parboiled carrots and green olives are textural and visual contrast. They get a tangy edge from the vinegar bath and the olive brine adds salt without needing extra. Don’t omit them.

Pro Tips

• Use a non-reactive container (glass or food-safe plastic, never metal) for the long marinade.
• Stir or flip the container once a day to redistribute marinade and ensure even flavoring.
• Drain partially before serving to avoid puddles of vinegar oil on the plate.
• Serve cold with crackers, crusty bread, or as part of a tapas spread.

Variations

• Use apple cider vinegar for a softer, sweeter tang.
• Add a bay leaf and a few whole peppercorns to the marinade for more depth.
• Substitute scallops or chunks of cooked octopus for the shrimp.