The Pickled Seafood That Belongs On Toast For A Powerful Appetizer

Pickled seafood may not be the first ingredient you reach for after toasting bread, but this easy addition can steer a humble presentation into a snack fit for a gourmand. Whether you're catering a party or wanting to elevate your packed lunch, layering pickled shrimp on top of golden pieces of bread is an instant ticket to Flavortown. Though you'll need to plan in advance to put this kind of recipe together — ideally, shrimp, spices, and veggies are left for one to several days in a plastic bag or sealed jar — your pickled creations can be confidently presented to guests for an appetizer that is equally impressive as it is tasty. 

Peeled, thawed, and deveined shrimp can be pickled in a variety of seasonings. Even a basic recipe of olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, lemon zest, and fish sauce can yield a delicious topping for your toast, but the idea is to balance sweet, acidic, and salty flavors in your creations. You can also pickle vegetables to provide options for guests to build toast for themselves by letting carrots, celery, red onion, and red peppers soak in lemon juice, Champagne vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings. 

Though delicious when ready, once made, your pickled creations can be kept for a week in the fridge in Mason jars. You may want to make more pickled shrimp than what you think you'll need, however, as these bites will go fast. In addition to topping toast, pickled shrimp can be thrown into salads and pasta recipes, mixed with orzo, or served with eggs for a satisfying brunch. 

Layer pickled shrimp toast with homemade garlic aioli before stacking pieces of shrimp onto each piece, or try coating bread soldiers with different compound butters before assembling these appetizers. Toast that has been crowned with pickled shrimp can be garnished with fresh herbs plucked from your garden, a quick crack of black pepper, and a final flourish of flaky sea salt. To double down on the fresh flavors found in pickled shrimp, try topping golden fried shrimp toast with spoonfuls of pickled shrimp. Delicious, filling, and pretty to look at, this is the kind of appetizer that dedicated dinner hosts dream of.