Escabeche De Camarones

"Pickled Shrimp" that is how it translates. This subtle shrimp salad is gentler than anything you might expect from the term "pickled". The shrimp get their tender-firm texture from slow-poaching followed by marinating and complimented by silky thin-sliced onions. Gourmet Magazine, Issue 09/2007. Chilling time is from 12 hours up to 2 days ahead. Also, you can add pimento stuffed olives, not too many, you don't want to overpower the dish.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1⁄2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon salt, to taste (we didn't use that much salt)
• 2  turkish bay leaves or 1  california bay leaf
• 2  garlic cloves, smashed
• 1  teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2  lbs large shrimp, in shell peeled, leaving tail intact, and deveined (21 to 25 per pound)
•  crushed red pepper flakes or   hot sauce

Directions

1. Toss together onion, vinegar, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow glass or ceramic dish.
2. Simmer oil, bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns in a small saucepan 10 minutes, then let stand until ready to use.
3. Add shrimp to a medium pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water), then remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4. Drain well, then stir into onion mixture along with oil mixture.
5. Chill shrimp in escabeche, covered when cool, stirring occasionally, at least 12 hours.
6. Discard bay leaves and serve shrimp cold or at room temperature.