GENA BERRY’S MARINATED WILD GEORGIA SHRIMP

Culinary Works founder Gena Berry loves to serve this dish at parties because it’s easy to prepare ahead of time, serves a crowd, and looks beautiful on a buffet.

In a gallon-sized zip-top bag, combine the vinegar, capers, garlic, sugar, salt and oils. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1-inch wide strips of the lemon rind, thinly slice and add to the marinade. Cut the lemon in half and add the juice to the marinade.

Cut the onion in half, from the root to the stem end. Trim the root and stem ends off and discard. Thinly slice half the onion from root to stem end to make 1 cup of sliced onion. Soak the onion in a bowl of ice and water for 10 minutes. (This will remove the sharp onion flavor and also will crisp the onion.) Drain the onion and add to the marinade.

Remove the stems from the parsley, rinse well and coarsely chop. Squeeze the parsley in a dry paper towel to remove any bitter juices, then add to the marinade. Zip the top of the marinade bag closed and mix the ingredients.

Add the shrimp to the marinade, zip the top closed, squeezing out excess air and turning so all the shrimp are coated in the marinade and the onions and parsley are well distributed. Let the shrimp marinate for 3 hours before serving.

To make ahead, boil, peel and devein the shrimp. Make the marinade up to the lemon and zip the bag closed. Cut the onion and place in a sandwich-sized zip top bag with ice and a little water. Chop the parsley, squeeze and then wrap in a dry paper towel. Store the wrapped parsley and the shrimp in a zip top bag lined with dry paper towels.

Three hours before serving, drain the onion and remove any remaining ice and add to the marinade. Unwrap the parsley and add to the marinade; zip closed and mix together. Add the shrimp, zip the top closed and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, fill a clear, 3-quart bowl half full with crushed ice. Slice a lemon for garnish and slide down into the ice. Serve the shrimp in a 2-quart bowl set atop the ice.

To cook the shrimp: Fill an 8-quart stock pot threequarters full with water. Place over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Add the shrimp all at once and stir to combine. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The shrimp will start to curl and turn opaque. Immediately dump the shrimp into a colander in the sink and run cold water over to stop the cooking and chill the shrimp. Peel and devein the shrimp. If you are using frozen shrimp, add to the boiling water and cook just until curled and opaque. Serves: 20

Per serving: 80 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), 9 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 4 grams fat (trace saturated fat), 69 milligrams cholesterol, 119 milligrams sodium.