Egg and Shrimp Pinchos

Egg and Shrimp Pinchos
Pincho de Hueva y Gamba

Makes 10 pinchos

Both at midday and in the evening in the Basque Country, most bars serve this pincho.

5 large hard-cooked eggs
10 cooked medium shrimp (see Note below)
3 heaping tablespoons homemade (page 184 of the book) or commercial mayonnaise

1. Peel the eggs, and slice them in half lengthwise. Top each egg half with a shrimp and then about 1 teaspoon mayonnaise.

2. Skewer each pincho with a toothpick, and serve immediately.

Note: when I call for medium shrimp, I mean those that are sold in units of 36 ("U36" or "36-count"), which means there are approximately 36 shrimp to the pound.

Note: Cooking Shrimp Basque Style

We Basques eat a lot of shrimp. We buy them as fresh as possible, still in their shells and smelling pleasantly briny. I recommend buying the shrimp on the day you will serve them and cooking them no more than an hour or so before serving.

As soon as you get home with the shrimp, store them in the rear of the refrigerator, where it is coolest. If they will be stored for more than a few hours, set the wrapped package in a small bowl, and place the small bowl in a larger one filled with ice. Refrigerate the shrimp sitting on ice to keep them as cold as possible without freezing.

To cook the shrimp, fill a pot about three-quarters full with water (for a pound of shrimp you will need about 4 cups water). Add 1 teaspoon coarse salt, three black peppercorns, and one bay leaf for every pound of shrimp, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, still in their shells. As soon as the water returns to a boil, remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer, or drain them in a colander. Without delay, transfer the shrimp to a large bowl filled with ice cubes, ice water, or both, so that the shrimp cool as quickly as possible. Peel the shrimp, which now will be pink, and use them immediately or re- frigerate them.

Buy the Book!

from:
The Basque Table
Making Meals Fast and Fabulous
by Teresa Barrenechea
Harvard Common Press
$16.95 U.S.; $21.95 CAN.
ISBN: 1-55832-327-9
Recipe reprinted by permission.